Defensive additions are high up on the list of Jose Mourinho’s priorities for the January and summer transfer windows, and the Mirror claim that Atletico Madrid defender Jose Gimenez is likely to be at the top of his list. The Uruguayan is currently out with a torn abductor muscle but has shown his supreme quality at just 21-years-old in La Liga at the heart of the best defence in the league.
However, a deal is unlikely to be achieved in January and any such move would most likely have to see his buyout clause paid, a substantial fee at £56 million. Diego Simeone does not want to lose his central defender, but Mourinho will not give up easily in the pursuit of his man.
The Portuguese manager has other things to worry about in the near future though as he has been charged by the FA for the second time in a week, meaning he could face anything up to a two match stadium ban, claim the Independent. Mourinho is accused of insulting Mark Clattenburg in a heated confrontation in the tunnel at half-time on Saturday at Old Trafford.
Such behaviour is hardly out of character for Mourinho, and represents his frustrations at his teams performances on the field of late, but there will be increasing concerns about how he represents the club off the field whilst results fail to materialise on it.
He will still be busy though, as the Mirror also claim that he is keen to continue the pursuit for a holding midfielder similar in style to N’Golo Kante, having missed out on the Frenchman in the summer when he instead opted to sign for Chelsea when he left Leicester City after their Premier League victory.
Mourinho is believed to be keen to bring in a new player, though his preferred targets are not public, as he has been disappointed by Morgan Schneiderlin, who is likely to leave the club soon, and with Michael Carrick the next best option but already far past his best.
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