Speaking to the media during Juliano Belletti's presentation, Jose Mourinho was full of praise for the Brazilian full-back. However, he did let glimpse that he would ideally want to offload one right-back.
"First of all, this new player gives me what I need which is a closed door in my dressing room," he said. "That is very important for me.
"The market is open until August 31st but not for us. We have the new signings we fought for and we have the balance in the squad."
"But I want my squad to be just a little bit smaller," he continued. "We have 27 players because Belletti comes in but Arjen Robben goes out, and if we can, we will go down to 26.
"Our squad is a very balanced one. We have two players for each position and the right-back position is a position where we have more than two."
The two players in question are Paolo Ferreira and Glen Johnson, and the odds are in favour of the latter being offloaded.
"For the interest of the players, because everyone likes to play and not just be part of the squad, if clubs show a real interest in one of our players and our player shows interest in leaving for a better situation, that is okay," he continued, effectively inviting offers for the duo.
"But it is not a drama for me to keep 27 because they are all good players, they are useful and the season is long," he went on to insist. Paulo [Ferreira] is a player that I trust very much. Paulo is with me for six consecutive years and everything that I have won, he has won with me.
"From the defensive point of view he is a safe player. The reason why I wanted to bring in a different right-back is Chelsea, this season, is a different team, as everyone can feel.
"There is a different philosophy of playing so I felt I needed something different on the right, but no doubts, Paulo is a player that I love and I trust.
"Belletti brings what we believe we need - a pure right-back, not an adaptation any more like we did so many times with Diarra, Michael Essien and Shaun Wright-Phillips in that position.
"So we have an attacking right-back and not an ordinary one. He has played in two of the biggest teams in the world - the Brazil national team and for Barcelona. In Brazil he was world champion and in Barcelona he was not just Spanish champion but also European champion.
"Belletti has experience of playing in big teams so he is not scared to play at Chelsea.
"Was he the first option or the second option? For me the point is always the same, the best player is always the best relation between quality and price.
"Belletti is a very good player and the relation between his quality and the price makes him the best."
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