Jose Mourinho's comments demonstrate that he lacked the backing from the club's management that his colleagues currently enjoy.
During the summer of 2018, while Mourinho was still in charge of Manchester United, things did not go as expected for the Portuguese manager. He led the team on a tour in the USA with a makeshift squad, with only five players who had made over 20 appearances that season.
Part of the reason for this situation was the 2018 World Cup in Russia, which resulted in key players being unavailable, forcing Mourinho to give more opportunities to young players during the tour.
Addressing the media at that time, Mourinho hinted at the lack of support from Manchester United's upper management in terms of squad investment.
"I want two more signings. But I think I will not get what I want. I think I will only have one new signing. I gave the club a list of five names a few months ago, and I'm waiting to see if we can have one of them. It's a matter of luck."
The relationship between the board and the manager regarding transfer matters can often be tense, regardless of the football club. Manchester United has been a testament to this in recent years.
However, under Erik ten Hag's leadership, we may have witnessed more alignment between them. Looking back at last summer, Ten Hag was undoubtedly supported in bringing in the players he wanted.
The acquisition of Lisandro Martinez at Old Trafford broke the mold, as the Argentine player wasn't a highly regarded talent and had physical disadvantages. Nevertheless, responding to Ten Hag's request, Manchester United finally agreed to sign Martinez, and the decision proved to be right, as the World Cup champion became an important piece in their defense.
Ten Hag demonstrated that the signings he brought in were effective. Therefore, in the current transfer window, Manchester United did not hesitate to spend on recruiting Mason Mount and Andre Onana.
Unlike Mourinho, the former Ajax coach has a say in the recruitment process. In the coming period, Ten Hag might continue to express his opinion on adding a striker – a key target for Manchester United.
Whether it's Rasmus Hojlund or any other striker arriving at Old Trafford, the club's leadership will put their full trust in Ten Hag, given what he has already proven.
