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As Paul Pogba signs for Manchester United and Jose Mourinho clears out the dead wood, how the Old Trafford club’s 24-man squad is shaping up
Jose Mourinho has wasted no time in cracking the whip at Manchester United, in both getting the players he wants in at Old Trafford and those he wants out too.

The Portuguese said he wanted four signings and, after sealing the £100 million deal for Paul Pogba — joining Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Eric Bailly and Zlatan Ibrahimovic — he has them.

Mourinho wants two players to fight for every position — just as he did at Chelsea — but also a trimmed-down squad of just 24. It means no-one will be able to rest on their laurels next season.

Heading out are Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger, Paddy McNair, Tyler Blackett, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Andreas Pereira, Adnan Januzaj, Will Keane and James Wilson.

Tim Fosu-Mensah was thought to be a ninth on his way out but the defender is in talks about securing his long-term future at the club and now looks set to stay.

Mourinho told the rest that they could leave the club, either permanently or on loan, and further arrivals could mean further sales, too, as he looks to lock down his strict 24-man squad. Mourinho has 26 at his disposal right now, meaning more departures are likely.

Schweinsteiger yesterday announced his retirement from international duty with immediate effect.

Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has expressed his disapproval of the massive transfer fees paid by clubs in the current transfer window.

Argentina international Gonzalo Higuain recently completed a €90m switch to Juventus from Serie A rivals Napoli, while midfielder Paul Pogba is believed to be on the verge of joining Manchester United in a €110m deal — a fee that would set a new transfer fee record.

Gareth Bale is currently the world’s most expensive footballer, having joined Real Madrid in 2013 for a fee of €100m.

When asked for his thoughts on the massive transfer fees paid by clubs, Klopp told reporters: “If you bring one player in for £100m and he gets injured, then it all goes through the chimney.

“The day that this is football, I’m not in a job anymore, because the game is about playing together.

“That is how everybody in football understands it. You always want to have the best, but building the group is necessary to be successful.
— mainlonline-Sport24.