Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho confirms that his White Hart Lane club will not be making a renewed effort to sign Sporting Lisbon star Bruno Fernandes in January.

Spurs held talks with the Portuguese club in the summer as they were lining up other attacking options in case of the departure of Christian Eriksen.

Paulo Dybala was another player the club pursued but Eriksen stayed – and the Denmark playmaker’s future remains in doubt ahead of the winter window, with his contract expiring next summer.

But Mourinho has suggested his club cannot afford Fernandes, who recently signed a new four-year deal at Sporting, report SkySports.

“I would definitely say no because Bruno is a player of a level and value that is not for us,” he said.

‘We are not a club that is going to make big transfers in the market, nor is it going towards players who are already developed or at a certain level of expectation, also economically.

“We are a different club at this level.”

Meanwhile, speaking earlier in the season, United hero Louis Saha expressed a belief that his old club had made a mistake by not securing Fernandes’ signature.

“Bruno Fernandes is a player of great technical quality who could be extremely decisive at various points in United’s game,” he said.

“But more than that, he’s a born leader and that’s what Manchester United are missing this season.

“Only time can tell, but judging from everything that has happened… United made a mistake by not buying Bruno Fernandes and not signing a creative midfield player.”