Mourinho admits he did not choose new Chelsea signing Djilobodji

Jose Mourinho has admitted that Papy Djilobodji was not his choice but was brought in after being recommended to the Chelsea boss.

Mourinho was keen to add a centre-back to his squad before the summer transfer window closed.

Everton refused to sell John Stones and after other potential signings failed to materialise, the decision was taken to buy Senegal international Djilobodji, 26, from French club Nantes.

Mourinho said: “It was not my choice; it was the choice of somebody I trust completely, which is the same thing.

“I don’t know every player. My job doesn’t allow me to travel and spend hours and hours watching players and in some moments and circumstances of the market are moments where you have to trust or not trust the people you work with. And in my case I trust.

“The same person that told me he would be a good squad player was the same person that told me Kurt Zouma could be a good player for us. He is one of our four central defenders and hopefully useful for us.”

Djilobodji was not included in Chelsea’s Champions League squad, largely because it was felt that they had enough centre-back options in skipper John Terry, Gary Cahill, Zouma and Branislav Ivanovic.

“If he was in the squad then [Bertrand] Traore or Kenedy would not be,” Mourinho explained.

“Those players have been working with us from day one and we think the Champions League would be fantastic for their development.”