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Victor Lindelof to be eased in at Man Utd by Jose Mourinho like Henrikh Mkhitaryan last season
Jose Mourinho is prepared to hold back Victor Lindelof in the same way he did Henrikh Mkhitaryan last season until the Manchester United manager is convinced the Sweden defender is ready to make the step up to Premier League football.
Lindelof was omitted from United’s 18-man squad for Sunday’s comprehensive 4-0 win over West Ham United after Mourinho admitted the centre-half is finding the transition hard following his £30.7 million move from Benfica in June.
Mourinho said he was forced to play Lindelof against his wishes in the European Super Cup defeat to Real Madrid last Tuesday, when the Swede struggled throughout, because of suspensions to Eric Bailly and Phil Jones but is now prepared to bide his time with the player, as he did with Mkhitaryan last term.
Signed from Borussia Dortmund for £26.3 million last summer, the Armenia midfielder made just three substitute appearances and one start in the Premier League, when he was substituted at half-time of the 2-1 defeat by Manchester City last September, but was then not seen again in the competition until late November.
Lindelof disappointed in United’s pre-season matches and it has been noted internally that he has also looked sluggish at times in training. That contrasts with the success with which United’s other summer signings, Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic, both highly influential in the victory over West Ham, have begun their Old Trafford careers, but Mourinho believes their long-standing Premier League experience gives them a significant advantage over Lindelof.
“I think Real Madrid was too early for him,” Mourinho said of Lindelof. “He played because Jones and Bailly were both suspended. I’ve had players coming from different leagues to the Premier League and, normally, it’s not easy. It’s different for Lukaku and Matic as they have had years and years in the Premier League.
“I brought Ricardo Carvalho to Chelsea in 2004 and he was a phenomenal defender, one of the best central defenders in the Premier League, but he struggled. It was difficult for him to come in and adapt in the beginning.
“I think Victor needs a little bit of time and he is going to have that time. Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not a defender but, last season, he needed his time too. So let’s go step by step because Victor is a fantastic player.”
Mourinho had also wanted to sign Michael Keane this summer, especially as he plans to play with three at the back at times this season, only for the England centre-half to join Everton. But any prolonged absence for Lindelof will provide Jones with an opportunity to cement a regular starting place alongside Bailly.
With Marcos Rojo out until at least Christmas and Chris Smalling out of favour under Mourinho, Jones has become the manager’s preferred defensive partner for Bailly and is hoping the 25-year-old – whose Old Trafford career has been blighted by injury woes - can enjoy a long, injury free run.
Mourinho has indicated that Lindelof can play at right back if necessary, although the Portuguese has not ruled out the prospect of bringing in another full-back before the close of the transfer window on Aug. 31, especially as Antonio Valencia is requiring regular ice packs on a persistent knee injury. Despite his lingering problem, Valencia continues to play at a high intensity but United are eager to ensure he does not suffer a setback.
Meanwhile, Lukaku, who scored twice on his home debut on Sunday, believes he is developing a “special” strike partnership with Marcus Rashford and hopes West Ham was just the tip of the iceberg.
“With me and Marcus, there’s something special,” the Belgium striker said. “Hopefully we can produce even more [in the future] than we did today. We clicked from the first day that I arrived, and I knew that he would help me settle in at the club