TalkSPORT pundit Joey Barton has heaped praise on Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho after recruiting the ideal players for his squad. The Red Devils spent in excess of £140m on the likes of Victor Lindelof, Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic this summer while Zlatan Ibrahimovic rejoined the club on a one-year deal.
Speaking on TalkSPORT h/t The Express, Barton admits that Mourinho did the right business in the summer transfer window but the same cannot be said about some of his rivals including Arsene Wenger, he said: “It seems to be a common thing in football now. Everybody is trying to sign what they don’t need. The only one who has signed what he needed was Jose Mourinho.
“He’s gone and strengthened right through the spine of his team, he’s strengthened in the centre midfield area, the centre-forward area. That spine of the United side is now looking strong. Everybody else, I think they have forgotten about the basics of football, certainly Mr Wenger.”
Both Lukaku and Matic have cemented their spots in the starting lineup through their exceptional performances in the Premier League this term. Lindelof has been sidelined from league duties since the start of the season, but Mourinho is likely to ease him into the lineup – beginning from the Champions League game against Basel on Tuesday night.
Mourinho has already given a vote of confidence to Lindelof by suggesting that he would have started him in the Champions League regardless of the suspensions to Eric Bailly and Phil Jones. The Swede has previously plyed his trade in the elite competition with Benfica, and the manager believes that it would be relatively easier for him to adapt.
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