Report: Manchester United hierarchy vetoed Mourinho's defensive targets

All is not well at Manchester United.

The club failed to add to its central defensive options before the Premier League transfer window for signings closed on Thursday, largely due to the club's hierarchy refusing to sanction moves for many of Jose Mourinho's transfer targets, according to the Telegraph's Sam Wallace and Jason Burt.

The report claims United were willing to pay over £100 million for Real Madrid's World Cup winner Raphael Varane, but were told by Los Blancos that the France star was not for sale. Mourinho was apparently told by United staff the club wasn't interested in signing a lesser class of defender than Varane.

Mourinho's targets this summer reportedly included the likes of Leicester City's Harry Maguire, Barcelona's Yerry Mina, and Bayern Munich's Jerome Boateng. Boateng allegedly turned down a move to Old Trafford, United failed to meet Leicester's valuation for Maguire, and Mina joined fellow Premier League side Everton.

The Guardian's Daniel Taylor asserts United felt Mourinho was willing to spend upwards of £70 million on players who wouldn't have improved the starting XI to any great degree, and as such weren't willing to press ahead with such deals.

The Red Devils will start their Premier League campaign on Friday against Maguire's Leicester with Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof, Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo, and Phil Jones as their central defensive options. A highly-regarded prospect, Axel Tuanzebe, was once again loaned out to Championship side Aston Villa.