Mourinho eyes signings despite Pedro swoop

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho described Pedro Rodriguez as "one of the best attacking players in the world" on Friday and suggested the Spaniard might not be the club's last signing.

Pedro signed from Barcelona in a £21.2 million ($33.2 million, 30 million euros) deal on Thursday, four days after left-back Baba Rahman joined from German side Augsburg.

Praising Pedro's attitude, Mourinho said the pair had helped to boost Chelsea in training following the disappointment of a 2-2 draw at home to Swansea City and a 3-0 loss at title rivals Manchester City.

"Well, we normally train very well, but I think this week we trained better than ever," said Mourinho, ahead of his side's third game of the Premier League season at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

"Why? Because we are not happy. I'm not happy with the results. The players are not happy with the results. We want to do better, and there is only one way: to work well, and better than ever, which we did all this week.

"New players are always welcome, so obviously I'm happy that they have come to us. This week we got a very good young left-back that we need, with potential that we believe can be developed.

"And we got one of the best attacking players in the world, a player with lots of experience and with something that I really like very, very much, which is the desire to leave a giant club, one of the best clubs in the world, a club that normally –- when you are there -– you don't want to leave.

"For a player like him (Pedro), loved in the club, who loves the club, and he wants to leave because he wants something more for his career, that's an evident sign of ambition. He wants to play every game.

"He's won everything playing with (Lionel) Messi, (Andres) Iniesta, all these stars. But he wants more, and I'm really happy with that kind of attitude.

"He comes to play and try and win, and try to enjoy, and not to have a holiday. I'm really happy with these two players."

- 'Opportunity window' -

Mourinho refused to say whether Chelsea had gazumped Manchester United for the signing of Pedro, who had initially seemed destined for Old Trafford.

"I only want to beat United on the pitch, if that's possible," he told a press conference at the club's training ground.

"I don't even want to go in that direction. The point is Pedro is a player we like a lot and we are happy to have."

Mourinho again refused to speak about Everton's John Stones, despite Chelsea's evident interest in the centre-back, but said that signings could still happen.

"I don't speak about players from other clubs, especially when the championship is on," he said. "Every club has a game this weekend and it's complicated to go in that direction. So I'm quiet.

"As I was saying, the transfer window or opportunity window, you can call it what you want. But, at this moment more than ever, in these last two weeks it's an opportunity window.

"It depends on the opportunities, whether you can do something you really believe you cannot pass up. Let's see what can happen."

Mourinho confirmed that Thibaut Courtois would replace Asmir Begovic in goal after serving a one-game ban and said that captain John Terry could return to the team despite being taken off at half-time at City.
Source: AFP