Jose Mourinho: Chelsea FC need to strengthen defenceShare

Jose Mourinho (credit: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images)
Jose Mourinho says Chelsea needs to strengthen in defence if they are to win the Premier League title again this season.

Chelsea are aiming to become the first side to retain the crown since Manchester United secured three in a row up until 2008/09, but with increased investment from United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City over the summer, Mourinho is aware of just how difficult it will be.

Chelsea have a strong squad but with Branislav Ivanovic, Kurt Zouma, Gary Cahill, Cesar Azpilicueta and John Terry their only first-team defenders, Mourinho knows he needs to invest before the transfer window closes in a month’s time.

He said: “Five is not enough. That’s obvious.

“We cannot go to the Premier League with five defenders. That’s our weakness. The quality is good, the numbers are not enough.”
The Blues have doggedly been pursuing Everton’s John Stones in recent weeks, but the Toffees are determined to keep the 21-year-old, with the latest reported offer of £26million having been rebuffed.

Consequently, Mourinho hinted that he may have to look elsewhere, with Augsburg left-back Baba Rahman reportedly another target while Ola Aina could be promoted into the first team too.

The Chelsea boss continued: “The market sometimes has no rules.

“We, as Chelsea, we make our own rules. To make our own rules is to evaluate the players, and to know the players’ value, and to know when we have to stop and turn to another side, and think in another option.”