MOURINHO: DON’T MOAN ABOUT LOSING MATIC
JOSE MOURINHO has told Antonio Conte that Chelsea can’t attribute their problems to the £40million sale of Nemanja Matic to Manchester United.
Conte has described Matic as a ‘great loss’ and is understood to be unhappy over the board’s decision to sanction his move during a turbulent pre-season at Stamford Bridge.
But Mourinho insists Chelsea’s ability to bring in Tiemoue Bakayoko as a £40m replacement and bid for Leicester’s Danny Drinkwater means there can be no cause for complaint.
Asked if the uncertainty surrounding players at most of their Premier League title rivals has given United an advantage this season, Mourinho said: ‘When people say, for example, Chelsea lost an important midfield player, if you lose one but you buy Bakayoko and Drinkwater, for example, what’s the problem?
‘The problem is when you sell and you don’t buy. When you sell and you keep buying, what’s the problem? You are probably even stronger, so I think every top team in the Premier League is potentially strong enough with the financial situation to be fighting for everything.
‘They have very good teams, very good players, and I don’t see any reason for them not to be fighting for the title.’
Mourinho warned that United’s 4-0 win over West Ham on the opening weekend, in which Matic played a starring role, does not make them a ‘dream team’.
And he still considers Chelsea favourites for the title despite defeat at home to Burnley.
‘For me, the favourite is the champion. Always,’ he added. ‘I think it is the stamp that you have when you are champion, you are the favourite for the next season.
‘We’re not favourites, we’re not the dream team. We’re just a team with more confidence than last season, with more time of working together. But I’m calm.’
United face Swansea into today’s lunchtime kick-off and the Welsh club’s head coach Paul Clement admitted he was shocked by Chelsea’s decision to sell Matic to their rivals, saying: ‘I was surprised Chelsea let him go. It’s a win for United.’