Jose Mourinho insists Manchester United are "doing everything" to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus before their Premier League season starts.
The French midfielder has been the subject of this summer's most compelling transfer saga, but United are on the verge of completing a £112 million deal to bring the former Old Trafford youngster back to the club.
And speaking ahead of Sunday's FA Community Shield clash with Leicester City, Mourinho reiterated the club's desire to finalise a deal before United's opening Premier League fixture at Bournemouth on August 14.
"I don’t like to speak about players from other clubs. Other managers like to do that, they like to speak about my clubs, and about my players. Pogba is a Juventus player until officially he isn’t so we stay like this.
"The market closes on August 31 but my club is trying to do everything to close the market by the August 14," he told reporters.
After explaining that he has a desire to work with a first-team squad of 26 in the season ahead, Mourinho added that he has been very happy with the club's deals in the transfer market this summer.
"Our market was good. We made decisions, we decided to bring in four players, not 10. We decided to bring in four players who are Man United level and we think can improve the squad.
"We got a young central defender who needs time to be a top one but has a lot of potential. We bought a creative player, a player who we know the quality he has. We got a super striker, and we are going to get a very good midfield player so we try to give balance. So I am happy with my squad."
United head to Wembley for Sunday's Community Shield in the first competitive game since the Louis van Gaal era, and Mourinho added that it will take some time for his players to get out of habits they learned under the Dutchman.
"My teams are very different to Mr Van Gaal’s teams, that is correct. It is a difficult situation to change a dynamic. It would be easy for me to have 20 new players and to start from zero. For 2 years they had some principles of play which are not my principles, but players will always try to adapt. After two years there are some things in their brain which are automatic, but they are trying. The players are giving everything to try to adapt."
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