Mourinho puts pressure on Pellegrini's City

News
By published

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho feels the Premier League title is Manchester City's for the taking after their off-season transfer splurge.

New City boss Manuel Pellegrini may have lost Carlos Tevez, Kolo Toure and Maicon among others, but there has been no shortage of quality in the men brought in to replace them.

Spanish duo Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo, Montenegrin forward Stevan Jovetic and Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho have all landed at Eastlands under Pellegrini's watch.

"They bought very well," Mourinho said. "That doesn't surprise me, because they have the money to buy but also the knowledge.

"They have people in the club that know a lot about football.

"Navas and Negredo are two world champions, two European champions, Jovetic has been one of the best in Serie A for more than two years, Fernandinho has big experience.

"If you see their ages, their maturity, they are in the perfect moment of their career to go to England.

"They have no need for adaptation, no need of work to learn the project. They are players at the top of their careers, experienced but still young, so I think they've bought very, very well."

Mourinho said City's extravagant spending reminded him of his first stint at Stamford Bridge.

Aided by the deep pockets of owner Roman Abramovich, he lashed out on stars such as Didier Drogba, Ashley Cole and Michael Essien in a bid to break Manchester United's stranglehold on English football.

"In my first spell you were always putting pressure on me saying: 'You buy this, you spend that, you buy the title'. So I hope now it is on the other side," he said.

"When people ask what it will mean if we win the title, I say there are no 'ifs' - either we win or we don't.

"It would be different. It can be better because I always say that the best trophy you have is the most recent one.

"If we win this season, with this group, it will be the best for many reasons."