Manchester United's transfer window was 'not perfect', admits Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho feels that while Manchester United enjoyed a positive summer transfer window, it was not a "perfect" one for the Premier League leaders.

Mourinho spent big money to continue rebuilding United's squad this summer following a sixth-placed League finish last season, with the Red Devils sealing early deals for Benfica centre-back Victor Lindelof and Everton striker Romelu Lukaku.

Nemanja Matic then sealed a surprise move from champions Chelsea before Zlatan Ibrahimovic re-signed for the club after being let go at the end of the season, and United now sit top of the table after three games.

Despite Mourinho's squad looking strong in the opening matches, United missed out on another wide player as Ivan Perisic remained at Inter Milan, while efforts to sign Gareth Bale from Real Madrid proved "impossible", in the manager's own words.

Speaking ahead of United's trip to Stoke on Saturday, Mourinho told reporters: "It was not a perfect market because a perfect market is when you architect the squad and the moves and it goes 100 per cent in your direction, which is very, very difficult to happen with everyone.

"It's really difficult to happen. But I cannot call it perfect because I still feel a weakness in the globality of my squad, but it was a good market.

"We were successful, we did it well, we did on time. We did it in the right timing because if you do (business) after (the) Neymar (deal) I think the numbers change for everybody, so I think we were quite happy in our market."

One deal Mourinho was unhappy with saw Andreas Pereira join Valencia on loan, despite impressing for United in pre-season.

The Portuguese coach accused the 21-year-old midfielder of lacking the necessary fight to claim a starting role in his team, saying: "Andreas Pereira was a personal decision - a decision that I don't agree with.

"A decision that, honestly, I don't think in this moment is the best decision for him. (It is) a decision that disappoints me a little bit because I think he has the potential to be here fighting for a position, fighting for opportunities and fighting to be a Manchester United player.

"I think his decision can be considered a decision of a young player who wants to play every weekend, but can also be considered a decision of a young player that is not ready to fight for something difficult - and it's difficult to play in Manchester United's midfield.

"You have to be ready to fight for the position and I am a bit disappointed that he left.

"But, okay, it was his decision, I open the door for his decision. He has a long-term contract, we have an option to bring him back on January 1, we have that situation under control.

"So is not a drama, but it is a decision which disappoints me a little bit."