Jose Mourinho encouraged to bolster Manchester United squad with 'flair players' this summer

Manchester United legend Bryan Robson has urged the club to further bolster their squad with the addition of a few "flair players" as they seek to balance an imminent return to the Champions League with a renewed domestic title bid.

The Europa League winners announced on Saturday (10 June) that they were set to make a defender their first signing of the summer after finally reaching an agreement with reigning Portuguese champions Benfica for the transfer of long-term target Victor Lindelof. The deal, which they stressed remains dependent on personal terms, international clearance and a medical, is said to be worth £30.7m ($39.1m).

With United's defence now strengthened, executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, who Jose Mourinho has been repeatedly eager to stress is responsible for bringing in his specific targets, will surely now turn his attentions to attacking reinforcements.

With a well-publicised pursuit of Atletico Madrid talisman Antoine Griezmann seemingly now over and Zlatan Ibrahimovic set to be released, Alvaro Morata has become the key target.

It was reported last week that the Real Madrid striker had agreed a deal with United - who have also been linked with the likes of Everton's Romelu Lukaku and Torino forward Andrea Belotti as they search for a new number nine - and was now waiting for the two clubs to settle upon a fee. Marca claim that he will become the most expensive Spanish football in history as an expected €70m agreement draws nearer.

While former long-serving captain Robson does not mention any potential new recruits by name, Morata is presumably exactly the kind of player he wants to see arrive at Old Trafford over the coming months.

Reflecting in an interview with ManUtd.com on a maiden campaign under Mourinho that ended with three trophies and a 2-0 Europa League final victory over Ajax, he said: "It certainly was a great ending in Stockholm. It finished off an okay season and made it into a very good season. To win the Community Shield, EFL Cup and then the Europa League, to go into the Champions League, has set everyone up great for next season.

"When you look at the way Jose has turned club around, I know we won the FA Cup the year before, but he came in and brought in four new players who I think improved the team and improved the squad. So that went very well and then we got into a way of playing. Okay, we drew a lot of games at home but we weren't getting beaten.

"We are a difficult team to beat now and what you can do, if you set your stall out that way to be difficult to beat, is to then add a few flair players to that squad. All of a sudden, you're winning a lot more games than you're drawing. So I can see us up there challenging for the title next season."