Lionel Messi Chelsea Transfer: Jose Mourinho Addresses Rumors

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has once again addressed the rumors linking his side with a move for Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, and the Portuguese coach has insisted they couldn’t afford him.

Mourinho, who is currently in charge at Stamford Bridge for a second time, made these comments during an interview with BT Sports’ Clare Balding, via the Daily Mail.

After being asked whether there was any chance that Chelsea might end up purchasing Messi — who is widely regarded as the greatest soccer player in the world — Mourinho declared, “No, I have no chance of that.”

However, Mourinho did insist that he would love nothing more than to have Messi on his roster at Chelsea. But the financial implications would be impossible for Chelsea to overcome.

“At this moment there is financial fair play and with the financial fair play we have to follow certain rules, certain numbers and we obviously have no conditions to buy, as you say a ‘super amazing player’ paid with ‘super amazing numbers’ that Chelsea at this moment we cannot do.”

There has been a stream of rumors linking Lionel Messi to a move away from the Nou Camp over the last few weeks. These started to emerge after Messi himself teased that his future may lay elsewhere.

Speaking to Ole, via the Express, Messi was asked whether he might consider leaving Barcelona one day, and even though he insisted, “No, today I live in the present. I want to make a great year and win titles with Barcelona. And nothing more,” it was the remainder of his answer that shocked the world of soccer.

“Then we’ll see,” he continued. “Football takes many turns… While I always said that I would always stay there, sometimes not everything happens the way you want. I’ve said it many times: if I had my way I would stay forever. But as I just said, it’s not always given that you get everything you like. More so in football, which is constantly changing and so many things happen. It’s complicated.”

At the end of November, there were even allegations that Adidas might assist Chelsea with a $300 million bid to try and prize Lionel Messi away from the Nou Camp. However, Jose Mourinho soon quashed these rumors, while Cesc Fabregas stated last week that he would love Messi to join him at Chelsea.

Lionel Messi is currently in the running with Manuel Neur and Cristiano Ronaldo for the 2015 Ballon d’Or. He is regarded as third favorite for the accolade though, which would be the fifth time he has claimed it if he did win, after the German goalkeeper and the Portuguese forward, respectively.

[Image via Concrete Online]