Jose Mourinho gives his take on Alvaro Morata: 'I'm not interested in what Chelsea Football Club does'
Mourinho is a known admirer of Morata's after giving him his chance when in charge at the Bernabeu but says seeing him join a Premier League rival isn't a concern
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Your support makes all the difference.Jose Mourinho isn't concerned about Chelsea's imminent move for Alvaro Morata and says he's more than happy with his own brand-new striker signing, Romelu Lukaku.
The Premier League champions are set to complete a move for Spanish international Morata after agreeing a fee with Real Madrid. That follows Lukaku's £75m move from Everton to United earlier this month.
United pursued Morata before pulling out of negotiations after balking at Real's £78m valuation before turning their attentions to the Belgian.
Mourinho is a known admirer of Morata's after giving him his chance when in charge at the Bernabeu but says seeing him join a Premier League rival isn't a concern.
"I am not interested in what Chelsea Football Club does, really," he said in Houston ahead of the derby with City on Thursday evening. "We needed a striker, yes. We needed with Zlatan (Ibrahimovic) in his best conditions, we needed one to give cover, to give options. Him and Marcus (Rashford) was not enough and especially after Zlatan's injury.
"We got a big player - a player that I can compare with what he was a few years ago because he worked with me a few months four or five years ago. His development was very, very good, so we think we have a player that is now a top player in Europe.
"He has to prove it at the highest level, there is always that point. Now he has to do it for Manchester United, in Champions League matches but I think he has amazing qualities. I think it was obvious Chelsea would sign a striker, especially after the situation with the manager and Diego (Costa).
"It was clear that they were going to get a striker, they did it with Alvaro and Alvaro is a very good player for them."
Lukaku followed Benfica defender Victor Lindelof into a club that is still active in the market, with Chelsea defensive midfielder Nemanja Matic, Tottenham's Eric Dier and Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic all being pursued.
Mourinho would ideally like to sign a further two players but has come to the terms with the fact only one may arrive in this inflated market.
"The problem is with us is we have four players that cannot play football now, not even training," Mourinho added. "It looks like our group is big but it is not because they can't ever train and the time for their recovery is really long. Marcos (Rojo) has no chance before December, as an example, so our squad is not so big.
"Everybody knows because I said it, very objective I would like four players and asked for four players. I'm ready to go from four to three because the market is difficult, because some clubs they think the market is different from others.
"We are not a club that is not ready to buy and buy and buy non-stop. We are not a club that is ready to pay what clubs wants us to pay, so I am ready to go from four to three. With these three, I just give a better balance to the team, to the squad and better conditions to compete."
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