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Rivals not big enough to sign Pogba: Mourinho

LONDON — Jose Mourinho has launched a fresh assault on Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klopp over their criticism of Manchester United’s move for Paul Pogba by claiming the Arsenal and Liverpool managers cannot contemplate breaking the world transfer record because they are not at big enough clubs.

LONDON — Jose Mourinho has launched a fresh assault on Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klopp over their criticism of Manchester United’s move for Paul Pogba by claiming the Arsenal and Liverpool managers cannot contemplate breaking the world transfer record because they are not at big enough clubs.

United finally completed the £89  million (S$157 million) signing of Pogba on Tuesday — four years after losing the France midfielder to Juventus for just £800,000 in compensation — as they beat Real Madrid to his signature.

The deal, which eclipses the previous world record fee of £85.3 million that Real paid Spurs for Wales forward Gareth Bale in 2013, was described as a “watershed moment” for the Premier League by Gary Lineker.

The former England striker’s view is shared by United’s hierarchy, who believe it could signal a shift of power in the transfer market after years of losing out to the Spanish giants.

United’s capture of Pogba came on the same day Manchester City made John Stones the world’s most expensive defender by signing the England centre-half for £47.5 million from Everton as Pep Guardiola and Mourinho took their combined summer spending past £300  million in a huge statement of intent from the Manchester rivals.

Wenger had branded as “completely crazy” United’s move for Pogba — who has signed a five-year contract with the option of a further 12 months — and Klopp claimed he would walk away from football before spending that sort of money.

But just days after condemning their criticism as “unethical”, Mourinho renewed his attack on the pair by belittling the size of the clubs they manage. “I like everything (about Pogba),” the United manager said. “I know the discussion, I understand that — sometimes in football, things happen and the club breaks the record, but this is only possible at clubs like Man United.

“When I heard some of the comments and heard some of the managers criticising that, I don’t think they ever have this problem because, to have this problem, you need to be at one of the top clubs in the world. So at Man United, it can happen.

“We need to get the best out of him and this will be a process. So if he needs protection, I am here to protect.” THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

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