Speaking in a news conference, manager Jose Mourinho seemed to not care that Chelsea signed Morata who, according to reports, was wanted by Manchester United all summer long.
The Portuguese manager was blunt when addressing Morata’s move to Chelsea, “I’m not interested in what Chelsea Football Club does, really,”. Instead, Jose Mourinho was keen to address his thoughts on Manchester United’s current striker situation, dismissing entirely Chelsea’s most recent transfer signing.
Mourinho then spoke about his team’s own needs, particularly in the striker department, which looked a little short towards the end of the last season, “We needed a striker. With Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] in his best condition we needed one to give cover, to give options, him and Marcus [Rashford] was not enough, especially after Zlatan’s injury.”.
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Jose was also eager in reminding Manchester United fans that, despite the club’s inability to get Morata, they’ve still got a great player in Romelu Lukaku, “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 like four or five years ago. His development was very, very good.”.
Although most Manchester United fans are happy that the club invested in a player with the potential and Premier League experience of Lukaku, some fans are skeptical of his ability to play at a top club. Mourinho, however, appears to be convinced of his latest signing’s talent, “We think we have a player that is now a top player in Europe, has to prove it at the highest level.”.
“There is always this point of you have to prove it at the highest level and now he has to do it for Manchester United, he has to do it in Champions League matches, but I think he has amazing qualities.”. If Lukaku takes heed of Mourinho’s words then there shouldn’t be anything to fear or worry about, having performed admirably at both West Brom and Everton.
Jose though was determined to dismiss any sort of speculated ill feeling towards his former club, stating matter-of-factly, “I think with Chelsea it was obvious they were going to sign a striker especially after the situation with the manager [Antonio Conte] and Diego [Costa]. It was clear they were going to sign a striker, they did it with Alvaro and Alvaro is a very good player for them.”.
Whether Manchester United or Chelsea got the better deal, only time will tell but Lukaku’s stats certainly give him the advantage. However, football is a funny game and can throw unexpected factors into the situation. While Lukaku has scored more goals and has Premier League experience, it doesn’t necessarily mean he will succeed at his new club.
Next: Why Romelu Lukaku is a better signing than Alvaro Morata
Early signs are that he’ll fit in just fine and Mourinho has already praised his qualities and contribution to the team. However, if Morata settles in quickly to Chelsea, then there’s no telling who will perform better for their respective teams. Either way, it’s unlikely Jose will regret his latest Manchester United star signing.