Manchester United paid Everton an initial £75 million, rising to £90 million, for Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku. Photo / AP
Manchester United paid Everton an initial £75 million, rising to £90 million, for Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku. Photo / AP
Jose Mourinho has insisted Manchester United will not allow themselves to be held to ransom in the transfer market this close season.
United paid Everton an initial 75 million, rising to 90m, for Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku and also signed Sweden defender Victor Lindelof, but they have so far balked at Inter Milan's 49m valuation of Ivan Perisic and Tottenham's demands for 55m for Eric Dier.
Alvaro Morata just signed for Chelsea for a reported 58m - almost 20m less than United were quoted by Real Madrid for the Spain striker.
Mourinho said he is now prepared to settle for one more signing as opposed to two after claiming United would not pay inflated fees for modest players like some rival clubs, who view the market differently.
That appeared a thinly-veiled reference to Manchester City, who United played in Houston for a 2-0 victory, with Mourinho raising eyebrows at the 45m fee they stumped up for England right back Kyle Walker.
"Everybody knows because I said I would like four players, I asked for four players, and I'm ready to go from four to three because the market is difficult, because some clubs think the market is different from others," he said.
"We are not a club that is ready to buy and buy and buy non-stop. We are not a club that is ready to pay what clubs want us to pay so I'm ready to go from four to three.
"With these three, it just gives us a better balance to the team and gives us better conditions to compete.
"The transfer fees don't surprise me, really. I kept saying there is big economic power at every club that allows clubs to say no. Or to say pay what I want or you don't get it.
"I can imagine City would like to pay 25m for Kyle, I can imagine that, but I'm sure they knocked on Spurs' door and they were told this is the price and if you don't pay, you don't get.
"So you have the option to pay or not.
"The strange thing now is I am used to teams paying big amounts for big players. And now everybody is paying big amounts for good players.
Jose Mourinho. Photo / Getty Images
"And there is a difference between good players and big players and now the figures are really crazy also for normal players."
Mourinho, meanwhile, claimed the Premier League title race will be a more level playing field next season with champions Chelsea and Liverpool involved in Europe.
United finished sixth in the league last season, 24 points behind Chelsea, and seven adrift of Liverpool, who finished fourth.
Mourinho's side still qualified for the Champions League by virtue of winning the Europa League.
But with Chelsea and Liverpool back in European competition next term after last season's absence, alongside Spurs, Manchester City and Arsenal, the United manager believes no one will hold a specific advantage domestically.
"There is one thing, this season is going to be a little more balanced because of the fact the top six are all in European competitions," he said.
