KEY POINTS

  • Red Devils boss happy with current squad and prepared to wait until January to make further additions.
  • Mourinho claims that United have done "phenomenally well" in the market so far.
  • Portuguese supports earlier finish to the transfer window and issues public backing for Anthony Martial.

A seemingly contented Jose Mourinho does not believe that Manchester United are currently in pursuit of any more summer signings and insists he is prepared to see his desire for four new arrivals remain unfulfilled.

The Red Devils have lavished approximately £146m ($187.7m) on three fresh recruits during the current transfer window to date, with Victor Lindelof, Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku arriving from Benfica, Chelsea and Everton respectively.

And while the former apparently needs time to adapt to his new surroundings following a shaky performance in the Uefa Super Cup defeat to Real Madrid in Skopje, the latter duo have really hit the ground running at Old Trafford and garnered widespread praise for their performances during last weekend's thumping 4-0 Premier League victory over West Ham United.

Mourinho was always crystal clear that he wanted to welcome a quartet of players to United, with a new winger targeted to follow the addition of effective holding midfielder Matic. However, pursuits of the likes of Ivan Perisic and Gareth Bale have rather fizzled out as attentions appeared to turn towards a new full-back amid links to Danny Rose and Serge Aurier.

Quizzed about that potential fourth signing during a press conference held at Carrington prior to Saturday's (19 August) trip to Swansea City, the Portuguese cast doubt on any further summer deals and appeared to back up claims that he was ready to wait until the New Year to strengthen his squad further.

"I don't think we are [in the market], unless something happened that puts us in the market again," he told reporters. "We will be looking at another transfer window again in January so there is no pressure from me at all and I'm happy with the squad we have, and I'm ready to go without the fourth player [he had previously indicated he wanted]. So if we are out of the market, I'm ready."

Expressing satisfaction with the previous business conducted by executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, Mourinho added: "My club did phenomenally well. I had four targets and got three and we signed all of them before the first match of the season. So my club did great work for me. We are in a stable situation."

It had been suggested that United were one of the top-flight clubs to hold reservations about plans to close the transfer window before the start of the season from 2018, although Mourinho voiced his support for an earlier finish.

The former Chelsea boss also reiterated his faith in Anthony Martial, who scored and provided an assist off the bench against West Ham following weeks of transfer rumours that culminated in reports that Tottenham Hotspur had failed with an ambitious offer for the French international.

"I have faith in him, because probably the player I was looking for was not a pure winger," he said. "As a pure attacking player, Anthony is a good player and I believe he's one who is going to have a better season than the previous one."

Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho believes it is doubtful that Manchester United will make a fourth new signing this month