Big spending

The United boss said England's top division used to have two or three big powers battling for supremacy but now even clubs not fighting for the top four are spending huge sums.

Mourinho had earlier insisted he expects to remain at United beyond the three-year contract he initially signed when replacing Louis van Gaal in the summer of 2016.

"If you want to ask me directly if I see myself next season in Manchester United, I say I see myself here. And, as I said when I arrived, I'm going to leave when the club wants me to leave, because I have no intention to leave at all.

"My intention is to stay, and to work and to improve and to bring the club to where the club belongs ... and I want to stay."

However, despite his repeated claims that he is fully committed to his Old Trafford role, Mourinho admitted he will always be primarily linked with his first, and only other, English employer, Chelsea.

"The difference now between Chelsea and Man United is that I really belong to Chelsea history," he said.

"I won three Premier Leagues, cups, I won lots of things, their first Premier League in 2004. I have a history there and here my history is (as) someone who works hard every day.

"We (United) won the only competition the club had never won, but everyone knows the Europa League is not the El Dorado of football. But I've come here in a moment where it's more difficult to make history."

"So probably that history makes people connect me there more.

"But my past is Chelsea and my present is Manchester United and, hopefully, my future is Manchester United too."

AFP