By Daily Sports on February 17, 2018

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has revealed his intention to sign another central midfielder in the next transfer window but as a replacement for Michael Carrick not Paul Pogba.

Mourinho, however, hit back at what he believes are "lies" regarding the France international before he later talked about his desire to strengthen midfield with Carrick, 36, set to retire at the end of the season and take up a role on United’s coaching staff.

"We need to sign a midfield player,” said Mourinho. "Because we are going to lose Michael Carrick. Of course, we need balance in the team.

"Some of you (the media) keep saying that we are going to buy that striker, that winger, that left winger, that right winger."

The Portuguese boss added: "You can accuse me of many things, but you cannot say that I lied to you. When I don't want to say things, I don’t say (them). But I don't take you in other directions.

"We are looking and we are going to try to sign a midfield player."

Carrick himself has talked up 21-year-old Scott McTominay as a potential replacement, and Mourinho insisted he is aware of the academy graduate’s ability having utilised him in 12 games this season.

"Scott McTominay didn't arrive here from the moon,” added the former Chelsea boss. "Before he came to the first-team he trained with us many times last season.

"He came to us in pre-season and then we realised that with Andreas Pereira going to Valencia, we decided not to buy another player because we had Scott McTominay ready to step up.

"The objective of having a squad that is not so big is exactly to be open for this.

United, second in the Premier League but a huge 16 points adrift of leaders Manchester City, face a crunch period of matches after Saturday's clash. These include a two-legged Champions League tie against Sevilla and league games with top four rivals Chelsea and Liverpool.

Mourinho, however, insisted United will not treat the FA Cup – which he won while at Chelsea in 2007 – lightly.

"Let's go step by step. The next one is the one that, on Saturday, we are out of the FA Cup or we are in the quarterfinal draw," he said.

"Sevilla is half of a knockout, so not so crucial as Huddersfield, but almost.

"We are going to try, we are going to try. The Champions League is more difficult than the Europa League, we all know that.

"And the FA Cup in this moment, I believe all the top teams, I think only Liverpool and Arsenal are out. A nice draw for Chelsea, for Man City, for Tottenham.

“Top teams are going to be in the quarterfinal. Let’s make sure we are there too, but even the FA Cup will be tough," he added. © AFP

•Photo shows Michael Carrick.

Source Daily Sports

Posted February 17, 2018

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