article: Media playback is not supported on this device United won 13 Premier League titles under Ferguson, but Mourinho says it is now impossible to be so dominant. Asked if he could return the club to its former greatness, the Portuguese said: "Forget it. "Don't try to go 10, 20 years ago because it is not possible any more." In a wide-ranging interview with Gary Lineker for the Premier League Show, Mourinho also said: Watch the full Premier League Show on iPlayer. Mourinho, 54, signed a three-year contract last May to replace Louis van Gaal, who was sacked despite winning the FA Cup. The Red Devils have finished seventh, fourth and fifth in the three full seasons since Ferguson's retirement, and have been in sixth place since 6 November. Mourinho does not believe a return to winning the Premier League every year is close, but does not want the season to peter out after winning the EFL Cup last month. "We are not ready to be Manchester United," he said. "We are not ready to be a dominant force. We are not ready to try and win everything. "Because of the nature of the club, and of myself, we are ready to fight for every game, every point. But there is a space between the general ambition of such a giant club and what we are in reality." Mourinho said United - who beat Premier League champions Leicester City in the Community Shield in August - had won "one and a half" trophies this season. "Many other teams in England are going to finish the season without a trophy," he said. "But we have to fight for the top four, we have to fight for the Champions League. The cup is not enough to say that the season is over." Since Mourinho took charge, United have spent an estimated £150m on midfielders Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan and defender Eric Bailly, and brought in striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic for free. But the Portuguese said the club's previous transfer dealings caused him concern. He named three forwards - PSG's Angel di Maria, Bayer Leverkusen's Javier Hernandez and Arsenal's Danny Welbeck - as players he would not have sold. "I found a sad club," he said. "Manchester United sold players that I would never sell, bought players that I would never buy." Mourinho would not name the players he would not have signed, but in January he allowed midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin and forward Memphis Depay to leave for Everton and Lyon respectively. He has largely frozen out former Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger and has handed just seven league starts to left-back Luke Shaw, who cost £27m from Southampton in 2014. Mourinho said he was not worried about attracting players if United fail to qualify for the Champions League, pointing to last summer as proof the club can still sign the best players. "Manchester United is very powerful, it doesn't need to be in the Champions League to attract the best players," he said. "Zlatan could still be in Paris. Mkhitaryan could be at Borussia Dortmund. Pogba
summary: Manchester United "are not ready to be a dominant force" and fans should forget about a return to the days of Sir Alex Ferguson, manager Jose Mourinho has told BBC Sport.