Mourinho says Manchester City are built for short-term success

• Posted on February 11, 2014February 11, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Jose Mourinho believes Manchester City have built a team that is focused on short-term success rather than long-term financial stability after hitting back at Manuel Pellegrini‘s claims over Chelsea‘s transfer dealings.

The Stamford Bridge manager was responding to comments from his City counterpart in which the Chilean intimated that Mourinho’s “little horses” are still “very rich”, and had spent the most money in the Premier League over the 10 years.

The Portuguese coach insists his side have spent wisely in the January transfer window in order to comply with Uefa’s Financial Fair Play ruling, whereas City have spent in spite of the regulations.

“They (City) have a team for now, not for 10 years, but for three or four – so experience, potential, power – and not worried about Financial Fair Play because in the summer they spent,” Mourinho told reporters.

“Academically [Pellegrini] is an engineer and he does not need a calculator to work it out. [Juan] Mata was sold for £37million, [Kevin] De Bruyne £18m.

“That is £55m. We brought in (Nemanja) Matic for £21m and (Mohamed) Salah for £11m – that is £32m.

“So £55m minus £32m is £23m. So for Chelsea in this window it is £23m – he does not need a calculator for this.”

Mourinho’s men lead the Premier League by a point after Arsenal lost 5-1 at Liverpool, while City were held 0-0 at Carrow Road by Norwich, and will stay top with a win at West Brom on Tuesday night.

By Peter Hanson