• Premier League

Mourinho wary of Financial Fair Play at Chelsea

ESPN staff
June 17, 2013
Jose Mourinho paid £31m for Andriy Shevchenko, who scored just nine goals in three years at Stamford Bridge © Getty Images
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Jose Mourinho has said he is motivated by the challenge of adhering to the Financial Fair Play rules during his second spell at Chelsea.

Backed by billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, Mourinho significantly bolstered his side during his first stint as Chelsea boss, reportedly spending in excess of £70 million after taking over in 2004.

The Portuguese has returned to Stamford Bridge this summer but will have to be more measured with his additions, as UEFA looks to clamp down on extravagant spending with its Financial Fair Play rules.

Andre Schurrle is on the verge of signing for the Blues from Bayer Leverkusen, while the likes of Napoli striker Edinson Cavani and Zenit St Petersburg forward Hulk have also been linked with moves.

Speaking of the challenge ahead, Mourinho told the club's official website: "It's very motivational and demands more from you. You have to think more about every decision and every move.

"Every wrong move you make has an influence on the future. You need to work more closely with the board in the financial area, you have to have a different perspective and a different look at the players on loan and youth football.

"It's more global. Instead of just focusing on your team, and your targets and ambitions, it's an overall view. It's a different profile of job and I'm happy with that, I'm enjoying that."

He added: "We need to go back to this stability," he added. "It's important for the players, for the young players' development, for the club, for the fan base and for the economic situation which is more important with Financial Fair Play.

"This is what we want, me as a manager, the owner and the board. The owner and the board want stability and then after that if we are working well and working together, success comes naturally.

"Everybody accepts the way we are going. I'm not trying to push in a different way. We are all in the same direction."

Chelsea's top ten highest transfer fees paid have all come in the Roman Abramovich era: Fernando Torres (£50m), Eden Hazard (£32m), Andriy Shevchenko (£31m), Oscar (£25m), Michael Essien, Didier Drogba, Juan Mata (all £24m), David Luiz, Shaun Wright-Phillips (both £21m), Ricardo Carvalho (£20m).

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