Manchester United’s deadline-day bid to solve the club’s defensive problems by signing Diego Godin fell apart last night when Atletico Madrid offered the Uruguay central defender an improved contract.

The English Premier League club entered negotiations with representatives of the player on Wednesday with the intention of exploiting a €20million release clause in Godin’s current deal.

Made aware of the intended exit of an individual who led Atletico’s defence to two Europa League wins, two Champions League Finals and a Spanish title, Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil countered by offering Godin a new deal on improved financial terms. The Spanish club used exactly the same tactics to prevent Antoine Griezmann leaving for United last summer, and Barcelona this.

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Jose Mourinho also looks set to miss out on the signature of Yerry Mina, another central defender the Old Trafford manager had personally worked on recruiting. On Thursday morning the Colombia international was undergoing a medical in Barcelona ahead of a transfer to Everton.

According to sources close to the negotiations, Mina’s preference has been to move to Old Trafford. United, however, stepped back from the deal early this week. Everton, who had already secured Lucas Digne from Barcelona in the current window, have agreed a single-season loan deal with the Catalan club for Andre Gomes. The Portugal midfielder was also undergoing a medical on Thursday.

Godin could have ticked a number of boxes for Mourinho, who has asked United to recruit an experienced, elite defender capable of leading the club’s back four. Mourinho has long been an admirer of the South American, while a relatively low transfer fee of €20m would have compensated for the 32-year-old’s age.

As of lunchtime on a Premier League’s deadline day moved over three weeks forward of most European rivals, United had still not secured reinforcement for a position their manager prioritised months in advance. Another defender Mourinho had personally worked on securing, Colombia international Yerry Mina, was taking a medical in Barcelona ahead of a move to Everton.

Asked about new recruits in a morning press conference, Mourinho said: “I’m not confident, I’m not confident and the market closes today, so is time at least for me to stop thinking about the market because the market will be closed. So I will have to focus on the players I have.”

While United’s scouting department has recommended signing Harry Maguire, Leicester City value the England international at £75m, a daunting fee for a 25-year-old yet to play a single minute of Champions League football. Toby Alderweireld is open to leaving Tottenham Hotspur for Old Trafford, but Daniel Levy’s valuation of the Belgium international is also an issue.

United are understood to have passed on other central defenders proposed to them. Caglar Soyuncu, a highly regarded Turkey international who the club scouted last season, is close to joining to Leicester from Bundeliga side Freiburg.