Tough job for Jose after appointment as new United boss

Jose Mourinho has finally landed his dream Old Trafford job but the size of the task at hand is unlikely to phase him.

The Portuguese said that the past three years did not "reflect the club's history" but for the man many thought would replace Sir Alex in the first instance it won't be plain sailing.

Despite the £250 million spent on new players in his largely unsuccessful two years as manager, Louis van Gaal did not invest in the defence and this should be Mourinho's main focus.

United have not really replaced Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic and although Chris Smalling has developed well, finding a consistent and reliable partner for him is a must.

Tim Fosu-Mensah looks to have a bright future but is still raw whilst Daley Blind was one of United's better performers this season but he remains very much a stop-gap centre-half.

Mourinho had multiple bid for John Stones turned down last summer and he looks likely to try again, with Real's Raphael Varane, PSG's Marquinhos, Benfica's Ezequiel Garay and Atletico's Diego Godin also all reported targets.

Tony Martial and Marcus Rashford were two of the team's brightest assets this season and Mourinho should look to build the attack around them but with Europa League football to contend with we'll need depth and at least two more signings to bolster the forward line. 

34-year-old Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a free agent and has been strongly linked to join forces with his former Inter boss - the Swedish striker is considered one of the best in the world and would be a welcome addition to the club's attacking alumni. 

Atletico's Antoine Griezmann, Real playmaker James Rodriguez and Napoli's Argentinian striker Gonzalo Higuain could join Martial and company at United.

Mourinho is also thought to be pursuing a right winger and a central midfielder, with a number of big names mentioned as possible targets despite a lack of Champions League football.

Revamping the midfield could cost us millions: Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale look unlikely to be lured away from the Bernabeu and the return of Paul Pogba would come with a hefty price tag.

Then there are Mourinho's compatriots Joao Mario and William Carvalho- both of Sporting with the latter an Arsenal target- and Sevilla's Polish international Grzegorz Krychowiak. 

With Jose in place and certain to attract big names, it's going be another fascinating summer at the biggest club in the world.