Manchester United targeting quality over quantity as Jose Mourinho finalises summer transfer plans

Jose Mourinho is finalising his summer transfer plans and is looking for quality over quantity as he looks to turn Manchester United into title contenders.

Unlike the sweeping summer signings made by Louis van Gaal two years ago, United are looking for three or four high quality signings this time around as they attempt to build a squad capable of challenging after a disappointing sixth-placed finish this season.

Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann is top of the list, with the France international admitting there is a six out of 10 chance of joining United and tha he is "ready to leave" the Spanish capital.

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Griezmann has a £86.7million buyout clause in his contract and United are confident they can get a deal over the line before the end of June to avoid the problems that come with a prolonged saga as with Paul Pogba's move from Juventus last summer.

Mourinho also wants Torino’s Andrea Belotti to play just in front of Griezmann, although that might involve also paying a buy-out clause of around £85m if they cannot agree a deal with the Italian club, and the chances of that are seen as “50-50”.

The signing of Burnley’s Michael Keane is seen as much likelier, with the former United centre-half having said to friends that it is his probable destination.

Griezmann, Belotti and Keane are the three deals that have so far seen by far the most work done, with the rest of United’s plans still somewhat open-ended and evolving day to day.

Mourinho nevertheless also wants a midfielder to complement and help release Pogba. There is long-term interest in Paris St-Germain’s Blaise Matuidi as well as Monaco’s Tiemoue Bakayoko, but Chelsea are expected to complete the signing of the latter.

"(The agents) don't have my number," Mourinho told BT Sport. "It doesn't matter if it's Champions League or not, Ed Woodward (the United executive vice-chairman) has my analysed (targets). He has what I want, what I would like, for more than two months.

"So now it's for him, for the owners, for the people that work with him and I just wait but I don't care about football now."

The increased financial clout of those in the Premier League means smaller clubs can now reject huge offers and vie for higher profile players, while investment at clubs abroad has made the market harder to operate in.

United, though, are in a stronger position than most given finance and history has been complemented by securing Champions League qualification on Wednesday.

There are also likely to be outgoings this summer. After the lifting the Europa League, captain Wayne Rooney says he has "more or less" made a decision about his United future but will speak with his family before making it public.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's future is unclear as United's injured top scorer is out of contract this summer, when Michael Carrick - awarded a testimonial - also sees his deal at expire.

David De Gea could leave for Real Madrid - a club he was so close to joining two years ago - and several other first-team members are the subject of speculation.

Andreas Pereira should get a first-team chance in pre-season after a promising loan spell in LaLiga with Granada, but Adnan Januzaj looks set to leave after an underwhelming time at relegated Sunderland.

Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and James Wilson have seen their star fade this season, so too Guillermo Varela.

By contrast 19-year-old defender Axel Tuanzebe has bolstered his chances of being a first-team regular, while Josh Harrop, Scott McTominay, Angel Gomes, Zak Dearnley, Demetri Mitchell and Matty Willock have been involved in the first-team squad recently.