Jose Mourinho this week joked that he “wouldn’t like to be in Ed Woodward’s position negotiating”, and part of that is because the Manchester United boss knows exactly what he wants his team to look like in every on-pitch position - but also how difficult it will be for the executive vice-chairman to get every deal over the line in this market.

The transfer window is in a highly erratic state right now, but Mourinho himself is at a very relaxed state, that point at the end of the first season when he has a clear vision for his team, where he believes he knows exactly what it lacks.

While it still remains open to question whether he will get all the players he wants, it now looks highly likely that Internazionale’s Ivan Perisic will arrive for a fee of around £48m - and continue to fill in Mourinho’s picture.

How Manchester United could line up next season Show all 12 1 /12 How Manchester United could line up next season How Manchester United could line up next season How could United line up? Jose Mourinho's side have been linked with dozens of new signings, but who is most likely to line up for the club in time for the start of the 2017/18 season? Getty How Manchester United could line up next season Goalkeeper – David De Gea Reports in Spain now suggest De Gea will stay at United once again as Real Madrid have failed to convince the club to sell. Getty How Manchester United could line up next season Right back – Serge Aurier Serge Aurier is believed to be in advanced talks with Manchester United ahead of a £25m move to Old Trafford. However visa issues are delaying the move so far. Getty How Manchester United could line up next season Centre-back – Eric Bailly Bailly had a phenomenal first season at United and looks like he will be the bedrock of Mourinho’s defence for the foreseeable future. Getty How Manchester United could line up next season Centre-back – Victor Lindelof Victor Lindelof has joined the club from Benfica and will start in the heart of United's defence. Getty How Manchester United could line up next season Left-back – Danny Rose Danny Rose is pushing for a move north and Manchester United are known to be interested in the left-back as Luke Shaw's future grows even more uncertain. Getty How Manchester United could line up next season Midfield - Ander Herrera A fan favourite at Old Trafford, Herrera's tenacious performances in the middle of the park last season saw his stock rise immeasurably. With Wayne Rooney's days numbered, the Spaniard may be in line to take the captain's armband. Getty How Manchester United could line up next season Midfield – Nemanja Matic The signing of Matic is one that screams not only of the need for discipline in the heart of this United team, but one that reiterates how the Portuguese is looking for players who can help him win now, not a couple of years down the line. Getty How Manchester United could line up next season Midfield – Paul Pogba Mourinho is known to want to bring in a defensive midfielder in order to free up the Frenchman to operate further up the field. Getty How Manchester United could line up next season Left-wing - Marcus Rashford The young English forward has done enough to earn Mourinho's trust and should be used in the first XI far more next term. Getty How Manchester United could line up next season Right-wing – Ivan Perisic United are only willing to spend £35m on Perisic but Inter want £50m. The club are still confident they can push the deal through. Getty How Manchester United could line up next season Striker - Romelu Lukaku Mourinho has prioritised a new No.9 this summer following Zlatan Ibrahimovic's season-ending injury and subsequent release and has opted for Lukaku as his top choice. Getty Images

The United boss identified the 28-year-old Croatian international as a potential signing months ago, both for his defensive work and his attacking contribution, but there is one aspect of his game that helped ensure the winger became one of those signings Mourinho has been especially insistent on completing over the past few months: his crossing.

One count from last season had it that Perisic played 6.6 crosses per game. For comparison, the figures from United’s current wide options were: Jesse Lingard 1, Anthony Martial 2.24, Henrikh Mkhitaryan 2.

Given that new main striker Romelu Lukaku has scored the third most headed goals in the Premier League since 2012-13 with 18 (after Christian Benteke’s 23 and Olivier Giroud’s 25), and that almost a quarter of his goals last season were in the air, it seems obvious that United needed a player to supply that ability.

One obvious criticism that has already been made in some football circles, however, is that it also sounds suspiciously like when Liverpool signed Stewart Downing because his stats suggested he would be able to supply the crosses for Andy Carroll’s even more obvious heading ability. That didn’t work out in the slightest, and reflected something of a facile thought process to how their attack would work - but then it’s also something of a facile comparison.

Perisic is a perfect fit for Mourinho's system (Getty)

Perisic’s crossing for Lukaku is just one of the reasons he’s been signed, not the main reason. The bottom line is that, for Mourinho’s specific vision, United needed to restore a bit more natural wing play to their game.

It was something they really did lack, that was noticeable at many points last season. The Croatian will not just be crossing, after all, but helping to stretch games with his running and thereby create even more space for Lukaku. It will simply change the dynamic of their whole front line, an area that had been too often too predictable last season.

Mourinho will also be able to get opposition managers trying to second-guess selections more due to his options, although it currently seems likely that his front four ahead of Paul Pogba pinging passes will be Marcus Rashford, Perisic and Mkhitaryan behind Lukaku.

The Croatian almost feels the most classically Mourinho player out of all of those, and will make this a more classically Mourinho team.