Manchester United are “better equipped” to win the Premier League this season yet must be “much, much better” to challenge for the Champions League, says director Jose Mourinho.
United won the League Cup and Europa League and completed 6th in the association in Mourinho’s first season in control.
He told: “We are better prepared for that.”
United have marked Romelu Lukaku and Victor Lindelof so far this late spring.
“This season is going to be more difficult but I think we have better conditions to fight for the Premier League,” Mourinho said.
“I think this season we are a little bit better equipped. We are against fantastic teams, against amazing investments.
“But I believe in our group, in our spirit, in our empathy, in our togetherness. I trust my boys and we are going to try.”
As Europa League holders, United qualified specifically for the Champions League assemble arrange.
“We went to the Europa League as one of the top teams, we go to the Champions League and we are not one of the top teams,” Mourinho added.
“We have to be better, much better, for that objective. The base of everything is to find what I call a happy dressing room.”
Mourinho has affirmed surprisingly that he is as yet hoping to sign a midfield player and a wide aggressor.
Talking at a news meeting before his side’s agreeable against Barcelona in Washington at 19:30 on Wednesday (00:30 BST Thursday), Mourinho said no advance had been made.
The Portuguese has been connected most intensely with midfielders Nemanja Matic and Eric Dier, of Chelsea and Tottenham individually, and Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic.
Mourinho said: “I am happy with my squad but I would like to have two more players. One midfield player would give me more options.
“The other is an attacking player through the wings to give me more attacking options.”
