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Jose Mourinho admits Chelsea's lack of big transfers could be "dangerous" to their hopes of retaining the title.

Mourinho claims his players will have to be even better this season after they failed to bring in any of their top targets before the big Premier League kick-off.

They have had two bids turned down for Everton's John Stones, not yet signed a left back and only brought in Asmir Begovic and Radamel Falcao to replace Petr Cech and Didier Drogba who left this summer.

Chelsea's main Premier League rivals have all made significant signings and Mourinho is clearly concerned but - sounding like his arch rival Arsene Wenger - says their best strength is that they one year older and wiser.

"It's dangerous. I think what you are saying, that saying, is right," said Mourinho. "You say if you stand still you get worse. It's right.

(Image: Reuters)

"But the same people can move forward. You don't need to buy 10 players to be a better team. You can be a better team with one or two new players and be a better team, with the same people.

"The advantage, I hope, the biggest advantage is for them to think together and say together 'my club and my manager they trust me so much, they were so loyal to me and they want to show me that they have a good memory.

"They don't forget easily what I did last year that they didn't spend lots of money. That don't sell me, they don't kick me out. They keep me, they trust me. So now it's my time, now it's our time to give it back and to give my manager, to give my board, my club, a proper answer.'

"This is the most important thing: for them to give us what I think we deserve. They deserve our confidence, but I think now is our time to deserve a compensation of that and the players to give us everything they have and keep the level of ambition and motivation.

"That's most important, the second thing, the team has some routine, some tactical mechanisms and is based on stability, it's not based on a quick improvement like bringing a lot of new players can help to do. It's based on stability."

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But the Special One seized on a question about bright young English managers to sound off on too many substandard foreign managers coming into the Premier League.

"I think at the moment it is too easy to be a foreign manager and to come to England," said Mourinho.

"Before it was very difficult and because it was very difficult, you had to do a lot before you win the right to come.

"When I come here, I come with the feeling that I come to the biggest league in the world but I come because I did so well.

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"In this moment, I think you forget British managers and you change them for other people that you dont know how they come.

"Maybe we forget some. Maybe we are almost on the 50-50 (British and foreign managers). And if you are on the 50-50, I think we are fine. And if you need me to make the 50-50, give me an English passport!"

Mourinho says that in his best ever seasons as a manager - leading Porto and Inter Milan to the Treble - he started the campaign with a draw at home to newly-promoted clubs.

Therefore, Mourinho is trying not to put too much importance on the opening game with fitness doubts remaining over Diego Costa who trained on Friday but may be short of match sharpness to start.

(Image: Richard Heathcote - The FA)

But if Falcao - who has struggled to show his best form since suffering a knee injury 17 months ago - does start then the Colombian striker insists he will be ready.

Falcao, who had a nightmare at Manchester United last season, added: "I think the injury stayed in the past. I worked a lot. My performance during each match was 100 per cent. I was available for the coach and for the club. I feel good.

"I am preparing every day at maximum as possible. I feel much better each day. It's a new life, a new club and a new challenge."

"I know the league much better. I received a lot of confidence from the coach of Chelsea. My new team mates as well and I feel comfortable here. This league is very good and I want to triumph here."