Chelsea boss reveals desire to sign Liverpool midfielder
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has admitted how he tried to sign Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard on three separate occasions, during his times at Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
The Liverpool skipper is set to leave Anfield this Summer, ending his long-term association with the club, after agreeing a pre-contract with MLS side LA Galaxy.
With just three games left in the season, Gerrard and Liverpool know his time in Merseyside is almost up, and Mourinho has weighed in on the situation ahead of their game on Sunday.
Liverpool travel to Stamford Bridge knowing they must win to keep their slim hopes of a top-four finish alive, and the Chelsea boss has opened up about his long-term interest in the England midfielder.
Mourinho reveals Gerrard interest
Mourinho said: ‘It’s my time to honour Steve Gerrard and say with opponents like him that I am the manager I am. I learn with my players and my best opponents.
‘With my players’ doubts and qualities and with my best opponents with the problems they give me and way they make me think and analyse them and study how to play against them.
‘Steven Gerrard is for sure one of my favourite enemies and for sure my dear enemy, the one who made me a better manager.
To stop him or try to stop him has been very, very difficult. I lost against him, I won, I drew. I am very sad it’s the last time I play against him. I need people like him to make me a better coach.
‘I am sad he is leaving the same as our Frank Lampard, but Frank is a Chelsea legend and it’s a different situation because Steven was always on the other side. I tried to bring him to Chelsea, I tried to bring him to Inter, I tried to bring him to Real Madrid but he was always with the enemy. I want to honour him and I hope Stamford Bridge has the same feeling.
‘It’s too late to sign him. He can’t play against Liverpool. He’s done an amazing career with his people. He refused to play in other big clubs, other big leagues to play only for Liverpool and this is a feeling that stays together. Who knows I play against Steven as a Liverpool manager someday.’
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles
Oscar must not leave Chelsea or else we gonna loose Hazard. if so, Paul Pogba or Kevin de Bruyen have to be his replacement instead of Valencia who made no assist.