Premier League season will be toughest yet, says Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho expects this season’s Premier League to be the most competitive of his Chelsea tenure.

Transfer spending ahead of the new campaign has already eclipsed £500 million (€716 million), and with the window open for the remainder of August, last year’s total spend of £835m (€1.19 billion) is set to be surpassed.

Chelsea begin the defence of their title against Swansea City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. And despite a low-key summer of transfer activity, Mourinho’s side are the bookmakers’ favourites to seal back-to-back triumphs.