Jose Mourinho hurls curveball at Petr Cech suitors

Jose Mourinho has warned clubs wanting to buy Petr Cech this summer that they may have to give up one of their own players to land the Chelsea goalkeeper.

Cech has fallen below Thibaut Courtois in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge and made only seven Premier League appearances last season.

The 33-year-old has one year left on his contract and is attracting interest from a number of clubs including Arsenal. Mourinho is reluctant to let Cech join the Gunners and suggested he may even demand a player in exchange if the veteran is allowed to leave.

“Every club that is interested in Petr, I can find a player that I like in that team too,” Mourinho said yesterday.

“My answer is not important. My answer is not important because the owner is the owner, he is the person with the perspective I admire a lot, respect a lot. He respects a lot of people who do important things for him.

“Since 2004 to 2014-15, 10 years of success with the club, 10 years of unbelievable behaviour. I will have to accept any decision that the owner has. I’m different. I have the same respect for Petr that everybody at the club has, but my answer would be, no way. If the answer is different I will accept that.”

Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal are all expected to spend significant money on transfers this summer and Mourinho believes he needs three new players to stay ahead.

“We have to improve. If we have the same team the other teams will be better than us,” Mourinho said.

“If I keep Eden Hazard, Nemanja Matic, Branislav Ivanovic, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas — for us that’s the first target.

“I think we need three (new) players. A striker because we lost our legend (Didier Drogba), a defender and a midfield player. (It will) give a little bit more competitiveness to the squad, bring some new blood in, put some players a little bit under pressure.

“They know they have someone waiting, I need that to support my way of working.

“Now they’re the champions I need that but basically the same squad, the same team, the same manager and stability in the club.”

Arsenal talisman Alexis Sanchez said yesterday that with the talent of Arsene Wenger’s squad, there remains a sense of what might have been after a sluggish start to the season gave Chelsea the impetus in the title race.

“It was an okay season, but it was bittersweet. I would have liked to have been in the Champions League final, to have won the Premier League title. I believe we have a bunch of skilful players so to not achieve more is disappointing.”

Arsenal are expected to strengthen the squad again in the summer, but won’t be signing German midfielder Sami Khedira, who has joined Juventus on a four-year contract.

Khedira becomes Juve’s second summer signing following the arrival of Argentinian forward Paulo Dybala from Palermo last week. Juve are hoping to keep several of their top players, who have been linked with a move away from the club, with Alvaro Morata insisting he is happy in Turin despite reports linking the Spain international with a switch to former club Real.