Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri says the Premier League will miss Jose Mourinho but he expects him to be back in management soon.
Mourinho will be forever linked with the Blues and Sarri has nothing but respect for his record at Stamford Bridge but hopes he won’t be back there anytime soon.
“Mourinho won everything,” said Sarri. “Won everywhere so I like him very much as a coach and as a man. I think he is right when he said that Manchester has a future without Mourinho, but he has a great future without United. I would like to see him on the bench as soon as possible. Maybe in England … not here!
Mourinho was sacked on Tuesday and his replacement – for now at least – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a big job on his hands at Old Trafford.
Sarri said: “I remember him as a player, but not as a coach. Of course the job will be difficult.”
In the same press conference, Sarri said he didn’t accept that Chelsea were Premier League contenders. “No, I have never seen Chelsea as title contenders for the Premier League,” he said. “There are two teams ahead of us.”
He wouldn’t be drawn about transfer speculation that morning linking Chelsea with a move for Milan’s Gonzalo Higuain, saying: “I like him very much, he is a wonderful player and man. But I don’t want to talk about Higuain. I have two and a half strikers at the moment, Higuain plays for Milan.”
Sarri was less complimentary about out of favour midfielder Danny Drinkwater who would appear to be running out of time at Stamford Bridge. “He is in the Premier League list, but not Europe,” said Sarri. “He is a very good midfielder, but is suited to playing with two midfielders. His problem is my football. I don’t know his future, it is up to the club and to him.”