Jose Mourinho will have to fix Tottenham’s problems without spending big in January, after being told he will not be given funds to transform the squad next month.

Tottenham’s frailties were exposed in the 2-1 defeat to Mourinho’s former club Manchester United on Wednesday and the Portuguese has work to do to improve a leaky defence and imbalanced midfield, with Burnley the visitors to north London on Saturday.

Spurs have conceded twice in all four fixtures since Mourinho succeeded Mauricio Pochettino on a three-and-a-half year deal last month and, like the Argentine, the new manager has struggled to find the right combination in the middle of the park, with Eric Dier, Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko all given auditions, with mixed success. There are also ongoing question marks in goal and at full-back.

Mourinho earned a reputation for spending lavishly at his former clubs, but he was fully aware when he took the job that Spurs are unlikely to make signings mid-season, even if chairman Daniel Levy succeeds in offloading Christian Eriksen, who is out of contract in the summer.

The 56-year-old has been at pains to talk-up the current squad and has ruled out moves for free agent Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes, a target for Spurs last summer. Despite an abject display on his return to Old Trafford, Mourinho believes he has the players to finish in the top four and challenge for the FA Cup and Champions League, and he made clear to Levy he is excited to be working with such a talented group.

Tottenham squad 2019-20 | Injuries, contracts and squad numbers 27 show all Tottenham squad 2019-20 | Injuries, contracts and squad numbers 1/27 We run you through Tottenham's squad for the 2019-20 season... Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 2/27 Hugo Lloris Squad Number: 1



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 AFP/Getty Images 3/27 Toby Alderweireld Squad Number: 4



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 REUTERS 4/27 Jan Vertonghen Squad Number: 5



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Getty Images 5/27 Davinson Sanchez Squad Number: 6



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 6/27 Heung-min Son Squad Number: 7



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 EPA 7/27 Harry Winks Squad Number: 8



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 8/27 Harry Kane Squad Number: 10



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 9/27 Erik Lamela Squad Number: 11



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 REUTERS 10/27 Eric Dier Squad Number: 15



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Action Images via Reuters 11/27 Kyle Walker-Peters Squad Number: 16



Condition: Fit (On loan at Southampton)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Action Images via Reuters 12/27 Moussa Sissoko Squad Number: 17



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 13/27 Giovani Lo Celso Squad Number: 18



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 14/27 Ryan Sessegnon Squad Number: 19



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2025 Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 15/27 Dele Alli Squad Number: 20



Condition: Hamstring (In contention)



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 AFP/Getty Images 16/27 Juan Foyth Squad Number: 21



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 17/27 Paulo Gazzaniga Squad Number: 22



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 18/27 Steven Bergwijn Squad Number: 23



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2025 REUTERS 19/27 Serge Aurier Squad Number: 24



Condition: Fit (on compassionate leave)



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 20/27 Lucas Moura Squad Number: 27



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Action Images via Reuters 21/27 Tanguy Ndombele Squad Number: 28



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2025 Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 22/27 Gedson Fernandes Squad Number: 30



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: On loan until summer 2021 Getty Images 23/27 Ben Davies Squad Number: 33



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 24/27 Oliver Skipp Squad Number: 52



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Action Images via Reuters 25/27 Troy Parrott Squad Number: 52



Condition: Fit (lacking match fitness)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 26/27 Danny Rose Squad Number: 3



Condition: Fit (On loan at Newcastle)



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 REUTERS 27/27 Japhet Tanganga Squad Number: 39



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Getty Images/Tottenham Hotspur FC 1/27 We run you through Tottenham's squad for the 2019-20 season... Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 2/27 Hugo Lloris Squad Number: 1



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 AFP/Getty Images 3/27 Toby Alderweireld Squad Number: 4



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 REUTERS 4/27 Jan Vertonghen Squad Number: 5



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Getty Images 5/27 Davinson Sanchez Squad Number: 6



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 6/27 Heung-min Son Squad Number: 7



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 EPA 7/27 Harry Winks Squad Number: 8



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 8/27 Harry Kane Squad Number: 10



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 9/27 Erik Lamela Squad Number: 11



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 REUTERS 10/27 Eric Dier Squad Number: 15



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Action Images via Reuters 11/27 Kyle Walker-Peters Squad Number: 16



Condition: Fit (On loan at Southampton)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Action Images via Reuters 12/27 Moussa Sissoko Squad Number: 17



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 13/27 Giovani Lo Celso Squad Number: 18



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 14/27 Ryan Sessegnon Squad Number: 19



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2025 Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 15/27 Dele Alli Squad Number: 20



Condition: Hamstring (In contention)



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 AFP/Getty Images 16/27 Juan Foyth Squad Number: 21



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 17/27 Paulo Gazzaniga Squad Number: 22



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 18/27 Steven Bergwijn Squad Number: 23



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2025 REUTERS 19/27 Serge Aurier Squad Number: 24



Condition: Fit (on compassionate leave)



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I 20/27 Lucas Moura Squad Number: 27



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Action Images via Reuters 21/27 Tanguy Ndombele Squad Number: 28



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2025 Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 22/27 Gedson Fernandes Squad Number: 30



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: On loan until summer 2021 Getty Images 23/27 Ben Davies Squad Number: 33



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 24/27 Oliver Skipp Squad Number: 52



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Action Images via Reuters 25/27 Troy Parrott Squad Number: 52



Condition: Fit (lacking match fitness)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 26/27 Danny Rose Squad Number: 3



Condition: Fit (On loan at Newcastle)



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 REUTERS 27/27 Japhet Tanganga Squad Number: 39



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Getty Images/Tottenham Hotspur FC

Indeed, the Portuguese was made aware of strong interest from Real Madrid before accepting the Spurs job, but felt the Spanish giants’ squad was coming to the of a cycle, whereas there was still mileage in Tottenham’s. This message was in contrast to the view of Pochettino, who repeatedly called for a “new chapter” last summer.

Spurs sold Mousa Dembele in January without buying a replacement, although they did sign Lucas Moura for £25million in January 2018. Levy will continue to scour the market for bargains next month, even if repayments on their £1.2billion stadium are likely to restrict Spurs’s ability to spend big.

One deal Spurs could complete next month is the permanent signing of Giovani Lo Celso. The playmaker is on a season-long loan from Real Betis and a permanent €40m deal is mandatory if Spurs qualify for next season’s Champions League. But they could save €8m by signing Lo Celso for €32m in January, although the 23-year-old has played just seven minutes under Mourinho.

After Wednesday’s defeat left Spurs nine points outside the top four, Mourinho said he has not had enough time to improve the players’ intensity on the training ground after four matches in two weeks, and many of the key problems of Pochettino’s reign have continued, including conceding early goals.

Like Olympiacos, United scored after six minutes, but Sissoko has absolved Mourinho of blame, admitting the team did “the opposite” of his instructions.

“Both halves we started very poorly and that’s why we conceded two goals,” he said. “We knew that they were going to be aggressive at the beginning of the first half and second half. The gaffer told us, we did the opposite, and that’s why they scored. [Conceding early goals] means there’s something wrong and we need to fix that. It’s difficult to score goals and when you start the game 1-0 down, it’s even more difficult.”

Mourinho will be without Hugo Lloris (elbow), Michel Vorm (calf), Erik Lamela (hamstring) and Ben Davies (ankle), while Winks could face a fitness test on an ankle knock.