Transfer: Manchester United had £100m to spend on new defender

Manchester United were prepared to back manager Jose Mourinho, by breaking the transfer record for a defender this summer, but were given no encouragement that the world’s best centre-backs were available, ESPN FC reports.

United were willing to spend up to £100million on a central defender, which would have surpassed the £75million Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk in January.

The summer transfer window closed on Thursday, with United failing to add to their three signings – Fred, Diogo Dalot and Lee Grant.

Mourinho had been desperate to add a defender to his squad, before the Premier League kick-off against Leicester at Old Trafford on Friday.

But proposed deals for Harry Maguire, Toby Alderweireld, Yerry Mina, Jerome Boateng and Diego Godin never materialised.

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