United cannot buy best players from Opponent

Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho believes that they could not weaken their rivals by buying best players from their opponents.

“Football has changed in the three years since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. This is the new football,” Mourinho said.

“Do you think I can go to Tottenham and buy two players to kill Tottenham? I can’t. I cannot go to Arsenal and buy their two best players, or go to Chelsea and bring two of the players that I love very, very much. That time is over.

“The situation where you could start to become the champions by attacking your opponents is over in this country. If you get a player from a top club, you only get a player those clubs don’t want to keep.

“You cannot attack your rivals any more. It used to be that when one of the big clubs was getting stronger, another of the big clubs was getting weaker.

“The problem we are finding is that we are getting stronger but so are the others – they are getting powerful. That means we have to grow up again and it is going to take more time.”

Although they have successfully signed Juan Mata from Chelsea and Robin Van Persie from their arch rivals Arsenal, Mourinho believes they could not do this again. United are reportedly linked with Tottenham forward Harry Kane who believes Spurs is his best destination at the moment.