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LONDON. — Jose Mourinho has hailed Arsene Wenger as a “top manager” and reckons Arsenal will challenge Chelsea for their English Premier League soccer crown next season.
The two bosses don’t share the best of relationships and have frequently found themselves involved in a war of words during their time in opposing dugouts.
However, in a rare act of kindness towards the Gunners boss, Mourinho told BT Sport: “I believe they (Arsenal) have a top manager, I’m not making fun here. They will be even harder to beat next season.”
Mourinho’s unsavoury relationship with Wenger reached boiling point last year when he branded Wenger “a specialist in failure”, a comment which led to the Portuguese being widely accused of disrespect.
“If he is right and I am afraid of failure it is because I didn’t fail many times. Eight years without silverware, that’s failure,” Mourinho said in February 2014, referring to the Gunners’ long trophyless spell.
“He’s a specialist in failure. If I do that in Chelsea, eight years, I leave and don’t come back.”
Mourinho has also revealed he wants to sign Radamel Falcao.
The Colombian striker went back to his parent club Monaco at the end of the season after a disastrous loan spell at Manchester United.
Mourinho has already hinted at making three new signings this summer, and he is keen to find a replacement for Didier Drogba.
And he has confirmed he is interested in bringing Falcao to Stamford Bridge.
“It really hurts me that people in England believe that Falcao is the guy they saw at Manchester United,” Mourinho told DirecTV Sports.
“He’s a player I know, one that I’ve followed since Atletico Madrid and if I can help Falcao arrive at his level I will do it.”
Mourinho hinted at his summer plans when he told the Sunday Times: “We lost a striker (Drogba) who scored four goals in the Premier League, but three of these goals meant important points for us.
“A striker that was very experienced, who every minute was fantastic for us, even in the last 10 minutes to hold the ball, cool down emotionally the game.
“So we have to buy a striker because we want to have three strikers of a good level. We do not want to have just one. Then you lose a good position on the negotiation table.”
Meanwhile, Tomas Rosicky could be on his way out of Arsenal — as his international team-mate Petr Cech comes in.
Czech Republic midfielder Rosicky has admitted his “frustration” at a lack of first-team chances and Turkish clubs Trabzonspor and Bursaspor have been keeping an eye on him.
And while Blues boss Jose Mourinho has made noises about not wanting to let Cech go, Mirror Sport understands the 33-year-old goalkeeper wants to join the Gunners — and Chelsea will grant his wish.
Gunners manager Wenger is thought to be very optimistic about tying up the transfer before the players report for pre-season training next month.
Arsenal have taken up the option of extending Rosicky’s contract for another 12 months, yet may allow him to go if he can find the right deal. — The Mirror.
Online Reporter