WHY SAY ANYTHING?

One of two things can happen to United’s form between now and January. It can remain consistent whereby they stay at the top of the table, or it can tail off from the blistering start they have made and see them in one of the lower top four places.

If the former happens, then don’t expect a player to be signed in January unless Mourinho can get exactly who he wants. If it is the latter, then rigorous attempts will probably be made to fill the position he feels he has missed out on this time.

If Dithering Ed Woodward had gone the extra mile and signed Ivan Perisić, as he did with every other player he has bought to date, then there would, we assume, be no need to bring in a player in January. As he didn’t go the extra mile will this see José turn back to one of the original favourites in Antoine Griezmann?

Now that the transfer window has closed and Atlético don’t have to worry about not being allowed to replace the Frenchman, they have halved his release clause so he is available for around €100 million.

He, we assume, would be Mourinho’s first choice.

Ivan Perisić, on the other hand, will shortly be signing a new contract with Inter Milan and this will include a release clause, (or anti-United clause), of around £64 million, effectively pricing him out of a transfer to any sensible club because, at 28 years of age, he just isn’t worth it.

The player we think United should be looking to sign is Thomas Lemar of Monaco. Woodward would not be able to dither too long on this one because Liverpool are also rumoured to be interested.

Arséne Wenger has also said that he will go back in for the player although this is probably something he said for amusement value rather than serious contemplation.

We have some breaking news for you Arséne, HE DOESN’WANT TO GO TO ARSENAL!

Now, we can only assume that he doesn’t want to go to Arsenal for two reasons. Firstly, he wants Champions League football which is not on offer at The Emirates. Secondly, he has probably watched recent events at Arsenal and decided that, as long as they have a stubborn old fool in charge, he is better off where he is.

Those two conditions will, barring a u-turn of seismic proportions from Wenger or a never-before-seen show of common sense by the board, still be in place by January so why does the stubborn old fool think he can get the player then?

He would cost United in the region of £65-75 million, not the £92 million a freaked out and panicky Arsenal bid for him on Transfermas day, an offer which a very calm Thomas Lemar had the good sense to reject even if his club, unsurprisingly, had accepted it.

This price is less than it would cost for Griezmann, who is older by five years, but more than it would cost for Perisić, who is older by seven years! We also happen to think that, of the three, Lemar is potentially the better player.

What we think, however, has never been foremost in the mind of Dithering Ed when buying players, which is a pity, but never mind.

So, if United are still top of the league and flying then there will be no rush to buy a wide man, although they will probably still bring in the one José asked for back in March and we assume that is Griezmann.

If United have not been able to maintain their early season momentum, then they will definitely bring in a wide man and, with the criteria being dictated by different circumstances, then it could be any one of a number of players including one or two who, as yet, are not even on the radar.

As we mentioned earlier, our preference is Lemar so watch this space!