Mourinho handed huge boost ahead of January window

Man United manager Jose Mourinho has been handed a huge boost from the board ahead of the January transfer window, according to reports from the Daily Record.

The reports claim that the executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has agreed to hand the former Real Madrid boss the funds that he needs to land a top-class central defender in the winter window.

The Portuguese landed his main defensive target, Eric Bailly, over the summer and he has more than impressed since arriving in Manchester, however has been sidelined for weeks now through injury and may well be missing for longer due to the African Cup of Nations.

Furthermore, the Red Devils boss is also missing his other first choice centre-back, Chris Smalling, who not played since the 4-0 loss to Mourinho’s former side, Chelsea.

The club have been linked with a number of defenders in recent weeks, with a move for either Virgil van Dijk or Jose Fonte for Southampton having been mooted, as well as Bayern Munich’s David Alaba.