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Football

11th Aug 2018

Manchester United made an approach for Kylian Mbappe over the summer

The Red Devils were told where to go

Darragh Murphy

Jose Mourinho remains highly frustrated about the lack of new arrivals at Manchester United over the summer.

But it wasn’t for a want of trying from the club’s executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward.

Apparently, United attempted to pull off what would have been one of the most sensational moves of the window by trying to prise Kylian Mbappe away from Paris Saint-Germain.

The Mirror reports that the Red Devils enquired about the possibility of signing the French forward but PSG responded by insisting that they would not sell Mbappe at any price.

Mbappe spent last season on loan with the Ligue 1 giants before a permanent deal worth £166 million was finalised this summer.

With the teenager’s stock rising further during France’s World Cup campaign, United would have presumably been preparing to shatter the world record if they stood any chance of bringing Mbappe to Old Trafford.

But it wasn’t to be and Mourinho was forced to settle for three signings over the summer months as Fred, Diogo Dalot and Lee Grant arrived.

The United boss made no secret of his desire to at least see a centre-half signed before Thursday’s deadline but he has since come to terms with the fact that he will have to make do with what he has.

“It will be a difficult season for everybody,” Mourinho said. “For us it will be a difficult season because I had my plans, and I had my plans for many months, and I started the Premier League season without a situation I thought.”