MANCHESTER, England (AP) – They’ve hired the two most coveted coaches in world football. Their spending on new players this offseason has just shattered the $300-million barrier. Their stated aim is to win the English Premier League.
Make no mistake: The Manchester clubs mean business.
It was clearly an affront to United and City that they ended up fighting it out for fourth place in the Premier League last season. Standards slipped, rivals stole a march, a big reaction was needed.
So United hired Jose Mourinho as coach, made a statement signing in Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and has just broken the world-record transfer fee to lure France midfielder Paul Pogba for around 105 million euros ($116 million). Forget being satisfied just making the top four: Mourinho, a win-at-all-costs coach, is demanding the title.
“I want to win,” Mourinho said on being hired. “I think we can really, yes.”