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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho recently spoke about how Manchester United’s newest signing Luke Shaw’s excessive wage demands was the deal breaker for the club from signing the former Southampton left-back.
Shaw was one of the targets for the London-based club, but eventually joined Manchester United for £27million after signing a contract worth over £100,000 a week, which makes him the highest paid teenager in the world, something that Chelsea were reluctant to offer.
Jose Mourinho’s comments
“If we pay to a 19-year-old boy what we were being asked for, for Luke Shaw, we are dead,” Mourinho was quoted by the Guardian. “We kill our stability with financial fair play. We kill the stability in our dressing room.”
He continued, “Because when you pay that much to a 19-year-old kid – a good player, fantastic player – but when you pay that amount of money, the next day, we would have had players knocking on our door. They would have been saying, ‘How is it possible I play 200 games for this club, won this and that, yet a 19-year-old comes here and gets more money than I get?
Chelsea went on to sign Atletico Madrid left-back Filipe Luis for £15.8 million, and according to the Portuguese, it was a much cheaper signing since it is suggested that the Brazilian’s contract entitles him to a wage just below £80,000 a week.
“It would’ve killed immediately our balance and we couldn’t allow that. I don’t criticise another club for paying it. They can pay what they want. I don’t have any comment about it. But for my club we can say it would be very negative for us, especially when we can say Felipe is much less expensive.”
He added, “He played for Brazil, won titles in Spain, won a European competition, played in the Champions League final, this guy is much cheaper than an English young lad. And is he good for our average wages, yes he is. Sometimes you have to make decisions. I don’t criticise the other clubs for paying it. They can pay what they want. I don’t have any comment about it. But for my club, we can say it would be very negative for us,” he concluded.
Luke Shaw made his Manchester United debut in a 7-0 friendly win against LA Galaxy
Louis van Gaal’s reaction to Mourinho’s comments
Manchester United’s new boss Louis van Gaal was however quick to respond, claiming that he would rather discuss the matter with Mourinho in private.
“I don't have to answer, I don't think I have to discuss things with the media. Its better to discuss it with Jose,” he told reporters after Manchester United’s training session at the Denver’s Sports Authority Field.
Mourinho had previously worked under van Gaal as his assistant in Barcelona during the 1997-2000 seasons, and the Portuguese is said have his utmost respect for his former mentor. However, it is unsure what Mourinho is getting into right now.
Some might say he is trying to wage a war against his old friend, and some could say this is just one of Mourinho’s mind games.
