Jose Mourinho has again dismissed any suggestion Chelsea could sign Lionel Messi, telling BT Sport that financial fair play rules mean the Blues cannot sign a "super amazing player."
Argentine channel DirecTV had reported last month that Mourinho had approved a deal to sign Messi, which the Daily Express claimed would be worth 200 million pounds, but the Blues boss told a news conference the stories were "obviously" not true.
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has said in recent days that he would love to see his former Barcelona teammate at Stamford Bridge, telling Radio Marca: "I wish! Why not? I'd love that to happen. I'd be all for it. As a Barca man, I believe that Messi deserves to retire at Barca for all that he has given the club.
"He is a legend that has changed Barca history but, as his teammate and friend, without doubt I'd love to have Leo by my side. This season Barca are Messi and 10 others. Messi has saved his team on many occasions."
Mourinho, though, maintains there is no prospect of Chelsea making such a signing under the financial restrictions now imposed by UEFA.
Jose Mourinho insists Chelsea have 'no chance' of signing Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi. https://t.co/5tevFD4O9X
- BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) December 24, 2014
"No, we have no chance of that," he told presenter Clare Balding for an interview to be broadcast on BT on Christmas Day.
"Because there is at this moment the financial fair play and with the financial fair play we have to follow certain rules, certain numbers, and we obviously have no conditions to buy, as you were saying, a 'super amazing player' obviously paid with super amazing numbers that Chelsea in this moment we cannot do."
Asked how much Barca would require to sell the player, he replied: "I don't even know because I don't think they ask because I don't think they want to sell, so it's even more difficult for everyone."
Mourinho also insisted that, having experienced three years in La Liga with Real Madrid, he believes the Premier League is more competitive overall.
When it was put to Mourinho that Real Madrid's Gareth Bale had said the Spanish league is better, he replied: "Because he's there. Because he's there. you have to accept what Gareth says, but I was also there.
"I won La Liga, I lost La Liga, but I won La Liga, and I know clearly the differences between La Liga and the Premier League.
"To go to matches knowing that you are going to win for sure is not the best thing. In Spain everybody knows that two teams are top of the world. A third team like Atletico is doing wonderfully well and they won last year, which is not normal.
"But after that there is a huge competitive difference and that's why the record is 100 points, 126 goals. In England, 100 points and 126 goals is impossible. If someone reaches 100 points and scores 126 goals, it's not the best competition for sure -- can be the best team, but not the best competition."