Jose Mourinho is preparing himself for another potential clash over January transfers.

The Manchester United manager expects to be backed in moves for a top-class centre-back, and would ideally like to add a right winger to his squad when the window opens in the New Year.

Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward is prepared to make funds available, but Mourinho has been told the club’s transfer process will remain as it was in the summer, when he was left bitterly frustrated by the failure to land a host of targets.

That means United will veto players they feel do not fit the right profile in terms of age or value, just as they did with Toby Alderweireld, Jerome Boateng and Yerry Mina during the last window.

While Mourinho was angered by the manner in which transfer control was taken out of his hands in the summer - declaring he should be called head coach, rather than manager - it is understood United’s hierarchy believe their decisions were largely justified.

Mina is a particular case in point, with the Colombian still to play a game for Everton after a £27million move from Barcelona.

One summer target United would be prepared to revisit in January is Harry Maguire.

While they believed the England centre back had been overpriced after his impressive World Cup, they ultimately pulled out when determining Leicester were unwilling to do a deal.

Maguire has since signed a new contract at the King Power, but United are aware of his ambitions to play for a Champions League club.

Given their own struggles defensively and Maguire’s status as one of the top centre backs in the Premier League, it’s believed they would be more open to meeting Leicester’s valuation this time around.