Mourinho will be given cash to spend when the transfer window reopens in January after a summer of frustration.
Manchester United missed out on their top targets and the boss has whinged ever since about the lack of activity.
Executive vice-chairman Woodward is willing to put that right in January but they must be players with potential to be worth even more.
One of those is Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini, although United will wait to the summer after discovering he has a release clause in his contract.
United have been monitoring the 22-year-old for a while but have become aware that they can get him for £26.5million at the end of the season.
Roma have been desperately trying to persuade Pellegrini to sign a new deal so that they can remove the buy-out option.
The midfielder has been capped nine times by Italy and is regarded as one of the Azzurri’s hottest prospects.
While Pellegrini could be on his way in, United are facing a contract time-bomb with 11 of their current players.
David de Gea, Anthony Martial, Chris Smalling, Antonio Valencia, Phil Jones, Matteo Darmian, James Wilson and Andreas Pereira are all moving towards the last six months of current deals.
They all have deals that include the option of a 12-month extension but Ashley Young, Juan Mata and Ander Herrera can walk away at the end of the season for nothing.
United are keen to keep all three with Young willing to take a pay-cut to stay.
Mata has interested Arsenal – Unai Emery has worked with his fellow Spaniard before – while Herrera is in talks to sign a new deal.