(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Jose Mourinho has dropped a heavy hint that Paul Pogba's protracted transfer from Juventus to Manchester United is close to completion.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's Community Shield with Leicester City, Manchester United's manager confirmed he expected one more player to arrive at Old Trafford before Aug. 14. Although he said was reluctant to talk about players from other teams, he said he is one short of his intended first-team squad of 23 players plus three goalkeepers. "We have 22 and we are going to have 23," Mourinho told a news conference. "We are going to get a very good midfielder," he added. "I don't like to speak about other clubs or players from other clubs. Other managers like to do that. They like to speak about my club and my players. "I am very pragmatic on this. All that matters is what happens in my house and not in my neighbour's house. "Paul Pogba is a Juventus player until he isn't, officially, so we stay like this. The market closes on August 31, but I think my club is trying to do everything to close our market before the 14th. "Normally, next week, we will have our squad closed." Wenger described the potential Pogba fee as "completely crazy", while Klopp said he wanted no involvement in such an inflated transfer market - comments that clearly did not sit well with United's manager. "I only speak about us," said Mourinho. "I heard already two of my colleagues from other clubs speaking about us. I do not like that. It is not ethical." He added: "There are things I do that (people say) are not ethical and when others do it, everything is normal, nobody says that. I do not speak about the others. They can do what they want. "Our market was good. We made decisions - decided to bring four players, not 10 - that are Man United level. Four that we think can really improve the squad and not just be one more. This is the profile of our market. "A young defender that needs time to be a top one, but who has top potential. A creative player that we know the quality (of). "A super striker, and we are going to get a very good midfield player. We try for balance. I am happy with my squad. I am happy with the effort of the club. The others, it is their problem." With those signings - in order, Eric Bailly, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic - already in at United ahead of Pogba, certain players will find themselves surplus to requirements under Mourinho. One of those is thought to be Germany veteran Bastian Schweinsteiger, with reports Mourinho has discarded the respected midfielder, opening the United manager up to criticism.
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