Jose Mourinho is not happy with soon-to-be Man Utd captain Antonio Valencia: “Too much holiday”

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has hit out at full-back Antonio Valencia for taking a prolonged holiday this summer.

Valencia is expected to miss the first month of the Premier League season having picked up a calf injury during United’s pre-season tour of the United States.

As a result, the Red Devils look likely to start the season without a fit right-back with new-signing Diogo Dalot also injured and Matteo Darmian heavily linked with a move away from the club.

And Mourinho has blamed Valencia’s injury on the Ecuadorian’s holiday time, which saw him spend most of the summer back in his homeland after they failed to qualify for the World Cup.

“We play Real Madrid and we have no more players than what we have,” he told MUTV (via the Manchester Evening News).

“Antonio Valencia comes from holiday – I think too much holiday for him. His condition was not good when he was back, then injury and also go back.”

United were beaten 4-1 by arch-rivals Liverpool in the International Champions Cup on Saturday with Mourinho having to field a much-weakened side due to various injuries and absences including Anthony Martial who recently left the training camp for the birth of his son in Paris.

Valencia is expected to be named new Manchester United captain ahead of the upcoming season following the retirement of Michael Carrick at the end of last campaign.

Mourinho’s woes ahead of the Premier League opener

Manchester United open the Premier League on August 10 against Leicester City at Old Trafford but are set to be without a number of first team players.

Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford, Phil Jones, Ashley Young and Marouane Fellaini all made it to the final weekend of the World Cup as France won the trophy and Belgium and England played for third place. As a result, those seven players will not join up with the United squad until five days before the Premier League opener and are therefore out.

Mourinho will also be without Nemanja Matic, Valencia and Dalot who have all been ruled out through injury.

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