OMEN
04-28-2006, 08:52 AM
London - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is planning a summer transfer spree - but admits that some of his present squad will have to make way for the new faces.
Mourinho has put Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack at the top of his shopping list, and the English champions have already confirmed they are in talks with the 29-year-old international.
But Mourinho is also keen to add a defender and a striker before next season, who are likely to come in at the expense of three players who are unhappy at Stamford Bridge.
"We change three players," Mourinho told The Times. "Three players who want to play more and are not very happy in the club, or some players I am frustrated with and have nothing to give us.
"I change them for three other players. I would say three players will come in in the summer. It is the natural process.
"We have a good squad, players at a good age, not players finishing their career. [Claude] Makelele is the oldest player [33] and he looks the youngest one. We don't have big needs. The natural tendency is we get a defender, a midfielder and an attacker."
Ballack meanwhile has been irked by claims from Bayern manager Uli Hoeness that his move was motivated solely by the prospect of becoming the world's highest paid player on £120 000 per week.
"I was a bit irritated by the comments from Uli and Kalle [Rummenigge] in the last few weeks," Ballack said.
"You shouldn't make a move because of the money. It's great to earn so much as a professional soccer player but money doesn't mean anything when you're going about your profession day in and day out.
"The only thing that counts is sport."
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Mourinho has put Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack at the top of his shopping list, and the English champions have already confirmed they are in talks with the 29-year-old international.
But Mourinho is also keen to add a defender and a striker before next season, who are likely to come in at the expense of three players who are unhappy at Stamford Bridge.
"We change three players," Mourinho told The Times. "Three players who want to play more and are not very happy in the club, or some players I am frustrated with and have nothing to give us.
"I change them for three other players. I would say three players will come in in the summer. It is the natural process.
"We have a good squad, players at a good age, not players finishing their career. [Claude] Makelele is the oldest player [33] and he looks the youngest one. We don't have big needs. The natural tendency is we get a defender, a midfielder and an attacker."
Ballack meanwhile has been irked by claims from Bayern manager Uli Hoeness that his move was motivated solely by the prospect of becoming the world's highest paid player on £120 000 per week.
"I was a bit irritated by the comments from Uli and Kalle [Rummenigge] in the last few weeks," Ballack said.
"You shouldn't make a move because of the money. It's great to earn so much as a professional soccer player but money doesn't mean anything when you're going about your profession day in and day out.
"The only thing that counts is sport."
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