The Chelsea boss has identified the defence as an area where he can improve come the summer transfer window. Mourinho made the centre back and left back positions his priority ahead of completing a grand overhaul of his Chelsea team this summer.

After being granted the authority to sell Kevin De Bruyne and Juan Mata, the Portuguese now hopes owner Roman Abramovich will continue to support major changes to the Blues’ squad at the end of the campaign.

Chelsea are currently chasing their first league title since 2010 and are currently seven points clear at the top, but Mourinho still recognises there are areas of the team which can be improved further.

Defensively, Chelse ahave been solid this season and the partnership of John Terry and Gary Cahill is now renowned as being the best in the league with just 22 league goals conceded and however with Terry and left-back Ashley Cole’s contracts expiring at the the end of the season, Abramovich may be keen to find defensive options elsewhere.

The signing of Kurt Zouma from Saint Etienne will be a welcomed one to Stamford bridge but Mourinho still feels as though more first team defenders are in order, and Porto’s Eliaquim Mangala and Southampton’s Luke Shaw have both been named as potential signings.

Despite this there are still transfer wars surrounding the two players as Manchester City have been linked with Mangala, however his buyout clause of £41.7m would definitely pose problems and Manchester United have been linked with England youngster, Shaw.