Manchester United have opted against making a move for the Benfica defender Victor Lindelof after José Mourinho decided he is satisfied with his defensive options despite the prospect of losing Eric Bailly for up to six weeks due to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Negotiations with the Portuguese champions over Sweden international Lindelof have been continuing for several weeks, and reports in Portugal said a deal worth more than £30m was close to being agreed. United were keen to purchase the 22-year-old to add depth to Mourinho’s squad although they were reluctant to meet his €45m (£38m) release clause.
But Mourinho’s side have now won five games in a row – while only conceding two goals – and the Portuguese has decided to stick with the central defenders he has got at his disposal. Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo have struck up a solid partnership in central defence and Mourinho can also count on Bailly, Chris Smalling and Daley Blind in that position when they are fit.
Smalling is currently out injured while Bailly has just returned to training from the knock picked up at Crystal Palace on 14 December.
Bailly was on Wednesday included in the Ivory Coast squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, which starts on 14 January.
Mourinho recently hailed the form of Jones, who has now played 10 consecutive games for United without getting injured, his second-longest stretch since joining the club in 2011.
“Sometimes defenders now think the most important ability is to build from the back,” the Portuguese manager said. “It’s not. The most important thing is to defend and that’s what I like about Phil Jones. He likes to defend, he wants to play as a defender.”
Mourinho went on to say Jones could be ready to make a return to the England set-up in the near future. “I prefer to say that Jones is doing much better this season than in the previous two seasons and he’s giving hope to everyone that he can be back to normality, and who knows, be back to the national team, be a firm choice at Manchester United, because he’s doing very well.”
Mourinho added the media should give his two current centre-backs more credit for what they have done in the past few weeks. He said: “I think, you are the ones who admit they [Jones and Rojo] deserve more attention and more headlines. [But] they are not worried, they are playing more than ever, better than ever.
“Rojo was also having lots of injuries. He is also [injury] free. In a period without Bailly and Smalling where people could be scared but they stepped up. Really solid. I am happy for them.”
United, who are sixth in the Premier League, play Middlesbrough at home on New Year’s Eve and then travel to West Ham United on Monday.