Manchester United transfer report: Jose Mourinho failed with plans to sign Real Madrid star Raphael Varane in world-record £100m deal on deadline day
The Red Devils boss was left frustrated as Real refuses to sell and the club failed to sign a new centre-back
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was ready to make a £100million bid to sign World Cup winner Raphael Varane from Real Madrid on deadline day, according to reports.
But instead, the Red Devils boss was left by frustrated by the club’s failure to land the new centre-back he craved, amid claims his transfer wishlist was largerly vetoed by club chiefs.
Mourinho was ready to spend big to bring in a new defender late into the window and, having won multiple titles and still only 25 years of age, Varane was seen as an ideal target.
It is understood United were ready to table a world-record bid for a defender to bring the World Cup winner to Old Trafford, before Real Madrid made it clear Varane was not for sale.
The failed plans represented the club’s final roll of the dice, having failed to deliver Mourinho’s demands of two more players.
After sealing deals for Fred, Diogo Dalot and Lee Grant by early July, last season's Premier League runners-up were unable to add further, despite the Portuguese's explicit desire to make two more signings to bolster his defence.
They were linked with a number of top players, but none of their various pursuits came to fruition.
United had been interested in signing Harry Maguire this summer, but Leicester City's steadfast refusal to sell scuppered any move for the England star.
Misgivings over Jerome Boateng's fitness and Bayern Munich's reluctance to do a loan deal ruled that option out, while Atletico Madrid were contacted about Diego Godin but it quickly became evident that move was also no-go.
Barcelona defender Yerry Mina joined Everton as prohibitive agent demands put off United and no offer is understood to have been tabled for Tottenham's Toby Alderweireld, despite being linked with the defender for the majority of the past 12 months.
Mourinho warned it could be a "difficult season" if United did not bring in at least one more face, with the Red Devils getting the new Premier League campaign underway against Leicester on Friday evening.
Various newspapers have also claimed the United board have warned Mourinho to stop demanding money for new big-name signing and instead focus on working with the talent at his disposal and start developing youth players.
The club are said to be unhappy about the coach targeting older players as short-term fixes to his squad problems, and turn his attention to bringing through the club’s top young players.
It’s not the first time Ed Woodward has stepped in to restrict Mourinho’s movements, having refused to even consider selling Paul Pogba or Anthony Martial this summer, despite the pair’s high-profile disputes with their manager.