• Premier League

Mourinho: Chelsea don't need to sell stars

ESPN staff
July 17, 2013
Jose Mourinho says the club is very organised © Getty Images
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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has ruled out the sale of defender Branislav Ivanovic, insisting the Blues will not be forced into letting go of their star players this summer.

Ivanovic, David Luiz and midfielder Juan Mata have all been linked with exits from Stamford Bridge amidst reports they do not fit into Mourinho's plans for the coming seasons.

But the Portuguese boss told Sky Sport News the club have not received any formal offers for Ivanovic, with the Serbian unlikely to move abroad.

"They didn't contact Chelsea. If there was any interest, it was not official," Mourinho said. "As a manager, a board, we have the responsibility of running the club, and the owner, and we are very, very clear that there is no chance that Ivanovic will leave Chelsea."

Mourinho also responded to suggestions that the introduction of Marco van Ginkel and Andre Schurrle could force the likes of Mata and Luiz out of the club.

Asked whether Chelsea will now be forced to sell some of their players to balance the books, he said: "No. The club is solid. The club is very well organised, the numbers are correct. We as a club want to follow the Financial Fair Play rules, but we are in a very stable situation.

"I like the squad, I like the profile. I like the fact we have a very young squad with three or four experienced players that are still in a fantastic moment of their career."

Chelsea had been linked with a move for Edinson Cavani - who signed for Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday - while rumours of Liverpool's Luis Suarez joining the Blues resurfaced after Ivanovic threw his support behind the Uruguayan.

With Romelu Lukaku returning to the Bridge after a successful season on loan with West Bromwich Albion, Mourinho has plenty of options up front, although he has refused to call off his pursuit for a star striker.

"We have strikers. The market is open and anything can happen, but it depends on the opportunities and it depends if the market really starts, because at the moment the market is very stopped," Mourinho added.

"We are okay, we are very much okay. If the transfer window closed tomorrow and we do nothing, I am more than happy."

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