Jose Mourinho's second season transfer record could mean good news for Manchester United

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By Raza Kazi

Published Jun 16, 2017

Mourinho's second term at Old Trafford could be more important than the first

Jose Mourinho received his fair share of criticism last campaign, having splashed the cash on world class players and only managed a sixth-place finish in the Premier League.

Much was made of the fact that he spent so much money on the likes of Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan but was unable to make a real go of competing for the league title.

FIRST SEASON

While he also came under fire for the number of games his side drew throughout the season during a forgettable 25-game unbeaten run.

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So, it’s easy to forget that the Portuguese boss captured the EFL Cup and the Europa League, effectively returning the Old Trafford outfit back into Europe’s elite competition.

He’s back in the transfer market now as he eyes up more huge names after signing Victor Lindelof from Benfica.

As expected, there’s worry that his second season may go down a similar route to the first, but history tells us otherwise.

Mourinho’s second season history has been well-documented in the past, and his record of transfers just proves that, when he’s put his own stamp on the team by bringing in his own players, there’s very little that can stop him from lifting silverware at the end of the season.

Despite becoming champions in the 2002/03 season, FC Porto would do the unthinkable under Mourinho where they won the Champions League, after the chairman promised him that no player that season would leave the club.

SECOND SEASON SUCCESS

It worked wonders as his side also won the league while finishing as runners-up in the Taca de Portugal.

Mourinho might have lost Zlatan Ibrahimovic in his second season at Inter Milan, but he utilised the hefty sum wisely by making his team a lot more balanced.

In came Diego Milito, Thiago Motta, Lucio and Wesley Sneijder as theyplayed an integral role in winning the Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the Champions League to complete the treble in Mourinho’s second year at the San Siro.

Mourinho’s next adventure saw him travel to the Santiago Bernabeu on a mission to stop Barcelona’s dominance, and he did just that in his second year.

Although he failed to make an impact in the Champions League, arrivals such as Fabio Coentrao and Nuri Sahin played a role in Real Madrid capturing the La Liga in dominant fashion.

They hit the 100-point barrier and scored a staggering 121 goals as they snatched the title from their fierce rivals who had been hogging it for three straight years.

A return to Chelsea beckoned and the fairytale concluded with a Premier League win along with the league cup, following the big-money arrivals of Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa and the return of Didier Drogba.

So, focus now turns to the 2017/18 season with the Red Devils.