LONDON // Jose Mourinho has signed a new four-year contract with Chelsea.
The club announced Mourinho’s new deal on the eve of the Premier League season opener with Swansea City.
The Portuguese, who is in his second spell at Stamford Bridge, won the League Cup and Premier League title last term for Chelsea.
The new deal ties Mourinho to Chelsea until June 2019.
The 52-year-old said on www.chelseafc.com: “If the club is happy, I am happy.
“I think this is a normal thing for me to sign a new contract. It is important we have this continuity and I hope we can enjoy more success in the future - for the fans, the players and the club.
“I said when I returned here two years ago that I have a special feeling for this club and nothing changed.
“It is the club closest to my heart and I am very happy to know I will be staying here for a long time.”
Mourinho had a highly successful first spell with Chelsea from June 2004 to September 2007, winning back-to-back Premier League titles in his first two seasons.
His third Premier League crown last term was Chelsea’s first championship in five years, since 2009/10.
Following his return to west London, the former Porto, Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss has often spoken of his desire to stay at Chelsea for as long as owner Roman Abramovich wants him. And it appears the feeling is mutual.
Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia said: “We are very happy that Jose has committed four more years to the club.
“Since his arrival two years ago he has carefully developed the playing squad and brought trophies to Stamford Bridge.
“We look forward to the next four years and the continued success of the team.”
Earlier, Mourinho made a veiled criticism of Roberto Martinez for the Everton manager’s outspoken rebuke of Chelsea for their pursuit of John Stones.
Martinez was unhappy with John Terry’s comments in praise of defender Stones, whom the Premier League champions have pursued this summer and been rebuffed.
“I’m not speaking about Everton or Stones. I’m just speaking in general,” Mourinho said.
“If I could, I would speak with you (the media) once in a month, and there are other people in football who, if they could, they would have a press conference every day, and I don’t want to say anything else.”
Chelsea have five first-team defenders and Mourinho is keen to recruit more, with a left-back high on the agenda, but he insists he is not preoccupied by the transfer window.
Another concern is up front. Mourinho is uncertain whether Diego Costa will be fit to begin the title defence after his troublesome hamstring injury flared up once more, forcing the striker out of last Sunday’s Community Shield loss to Arsenal.
“I promise you, I don’t know,” Mourinho said. “I think he’s going to train with the team (last night). His reaction after that and his decision to be confident to play is another story.” Mourinho dismissed the suggestion Chelsea need to buy another striker because of Costa being a continuing fitness concern.
“Three is the perfect number and we have three,” said Mourinho, who is prepared to field Loic Remy or Radamel Falcao against Swansea.
Put to him he has only two-and-a-half strikers because of the uncertainty surrounding Costa, Mourinho said: “The half when he plays is one and a half, so (that) compensates, because he’s a fantastic player. I cannot say I don’t need him. He’s such an important player for us.
“Not just for the goals he scores, but also for the football he produces and also for the mentality he helps to create in the team.”
Chelsea are bidding to be the first team since Manchester United in 2008/09 to win back-to-back Premier League titles, a feat Mourinho achieved in his first spell in 2004/05 and 2005/06.
Asked what would constitute success this term, Mourinho said: “I really don’t know, because it depends not just about you, it’s also about the others.
“You can have a good season and somebody was better than you, and I don’t consider that failure. I don’t consider that a bad season.
“If somebody was better than you, a little bit better, a couple of points more than you, one goal more than you in a knockout phase, then I don’t think it’s a failure.
“I just think credit to the others. Let’s try to be a good team and let’s try to be here in March, April speaking to you about the possibility of winning something.”
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