Before the highly-rated Dutchman's £75 million transfer to Liverpool in 2017, former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho reportedly wanted to sign Virgil van Dijk. But, Chris Kamara claims that Old Trafford officials were unwilling to spend the money on the player.
Speaking on the BBC's "Proper Football Podcast," Kamara disclosed that after the Dutchman enjoyed successful tenures at Southampton and Celtic, he once suggested to Mourinho that they sign him. However, Mourinho simply rejected the suggestion because he believed his superiors would not provide enough money for the transfer.
I can exclusively tell that when I instructed Jose [Mourinho] to bring the player to Manchester United, Jose refused to pay for him. He stated on the program, "Yes, and he went to Liverpool.
Van Dijk played a crucial role in Jürgen Klopp's success after his sensational arrival to Anfield, helping Liverpool win the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, and Champions League.
Although winning the Europa League in 2017 under Mourinho, Manchester United soon realized their side was in dire need of an elite center-half and, under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Harry Maguire of England was acquired for £80 million.
Erik ten Hag has since ignored Maguire, the current club captain, and denied him access to regular first-team action. At the end of the season, ten Hag may try to offload the unpopular center-back.
The Red Devils spent £369 million on new players during Mourinho's two years at Old Trafford in an effort to reach the lofty heights they reached under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Paul Pogba rejoined the team for £89 million at the conclusion of the 2016–17 season, Romelu Lukaku signed for £75 million the following summer, and Fred, who cost £52 million from Shakhtar Donetsk, was Manchester United's third-highest acquisition under Mourinho.
Louis van Gaal received £259 million during the course of his two-year tenure at Old Trafford, while David Moyes received a total of £65 million during his disastrous tenure following Ferguson's retirement. Conversely, Solskjaer was allocated £374 million to spend on new players.
blogpay
