Manchester United transfer news: Jose Mourinho won't wait for Paul Pogba with Matuidi and Matic on shortlist

Mourinho was speaking on United's pre-season tour of China and admits that he has 'three players to fill that profile'

Jose Mourinho has admitted that Manchester United are prepared to pursue alternative options to Paul Pogba if the club cannot lure the £100m-rated France midfielder from Juventus.

Pogba, currently on holiday following his run to the Euro 2016 Final, is Mourinho’s number one target to fill the central midfield role at Old Trafford.

Having already secured the signings of Henrikh Mkitaryan, Eric Bailly and Zlatan Ibrahimovic since succeeding Louis van Gaal as manager this summer, Mourinho insists he has done 75 per cent of his transfer business.

But with Juventus holding firm on their attempts to retain Pogba, United are now considering Chelsea Nemanja Matic and Paris Saint-Germain’s Blaise Matuidi as potential solutions to their midfield search.

“I don't confirm and I don't deny (that we have agreed to sign Pogba),” Mourinho said. “I cannot tell.

“First of all, because I don't think it’s correct to speak about players from other clubs. He's a Juventus player not a Manchester United player.

“We have three players to fill that profile. I am really confident that Mr Woodward and the owners will bring me that profile of player.

"The only thing I can say is that my board, my directors, did a fantastic job to do 75 per cent of the job I asked them to do.

"I asked them for four profiles of players, I gave them a few options and they did for me 75 per cent of the job and we just have 25 per cent to do before August 31.

"So we are in a great position to do what I consider will be a great market for us.

"So we are calm, and I am really confident Mr Woodward will get the profile of player we need to get a good balance."