Whatever your take on Jose Mourinho , one thing is for certain.
He will soon have Manchester United operating like the global, footballing superpower it is supposed to be.
In a way, he already has.
Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired – and possibly towards the end of his reign – United’s transfer policy has been chaotic at worst, haphazard at best.
The big coup for David Moyes was signing Marouane Fellaini, Louis van Gaal’s first transfer summer ended with the panic loan acquisition of Radamel Falcao.
There has been little rhyme or reason to their strategy – if that’s what you could call it.
Only a few months ago, Van Gaal claimed it was easier for Leicester City to buy players.
“It is not so easy to buy players for a club like Manchester United,” he said.
“You have to pay much more. You have to pay the agent… and then you have the player himself.”
You do. So, just do it. That is what Mourinho has clearly told Ed Woodward.
Spectacular confirmation – following the extremely business-like acquisitions of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Eric Bailly and Henrikh Mkhitarayan – would arrive if United can pull off the Paul Pogba transfer.
You can just imagine it. Mourinho to Woodward: “Get Pogba, no matter what it costs.”
Woodward to Mourinho: “But we let him go for next to nothing four years ago.”
Mourinho to Woodward: “Get Pogba, no matter what it costs.”
From his first Press conference, it was clear Mourinho intends to be as ruthless and as decisive as ever.
Less than two months ago, Wayne Rooney had this to say. “Sometimes you have to make choices in your career and, at the moment, it is better for me to play deeper… next season, that is where I see myself playing.”
It is not how Mourinho sees it.
And his scornful dismissal of Rooney as an out-and-out midfielder was not only a casual slight on the judgement of Roy Hodgson and Van Gaal, but a reminder to the captain that there will be only one boss at Old Trafford from now on.
Mourinho might well rely on Rooney in the same way he relied on his English generals, John Terry and Frank Lampard, at Chelsea.
But Rooney’s grand influence at Old Trafford will not be getting any grander under Mourinho.
Rooney faces a fight for his starting place – the same fight facing Marcus Rashford and the knot of promising United youngsters.
Mourinho’s feisty rebuttal of the idea he doesn’t promote youth is a red herring.
In Mourinho’s psyche, there will be no room for the romantic notion of United bringing through the kids.
He doesn’t do a great deal of sentiment – his explanation that Ryan Giggs left because he wanted the job Woodward gave to him was matter-of-fact, but cold.
Juan Mata is a lovely bloke, popular with team-mates and fans, but that won’t matter a jot to Jose.
The Portuguese has a rampant ego, a charmless way of denigrating one rival manager, in particular, and this marriage of convenience is unlikely to last more than three years.
But, whatever your take on Jose Mourinho, under him, Manchester United will once again operate like the global footballing superpower it is supposed to be.
Ruthlessly.