Jose Mourinho backed for shock Chelsea return as Blues legend reveals three veteran signings club must make in summer

JOE COLE has backed Jose Mourinho to become the next Chelsea manager, over the likes of Xabi Alonso, Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva.

The 44-year-old and would like to see the Portuguese manager make a shock return to at the end of the season.

Cole is regarded as a legend at Chelsea Credit: Getty The pair caught up earlier this season when Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge with Benfica Credit: AP

Mourinho is currently in charge of and is on the brink of an invincible season, despite losing the title to FC Porto.

He has been linked with a return to Chelsea and is popular with the fans as an authoritative, legendary figure, but he isn’t someone the club is considering; Iraola, Alonso and Silva are all deemed more likely.

Blues legend Cole exclusively told SunSport: “The best move the club could make now, a realistic move as well, is to go to .

“Say that this is what we can do, and just let the man take charge of the club. Just say, “rebuild my club for me, we’re going to step back, you get us back on track.”

“Give him a long contract, and tell the players and the fans just to take the transition. Tell the fans, “We’ve given you what you want. Jose is in charge of bringing the players in. Jose is in charge of everything.” So, the fans know where they stand, and the players know where they stand as a group. And then leave it.

“It’s going to take a few years. But I’m pretty sure, in three years, Chelsea will be in a healthier position than they are now.

“Everyone’s thinking he’s finished, but there’s a reason Real Madrid are looking at him.”

Cole’s experience of Chelsea was the

His generation of players were in a dressing room packed full of experienced leaders, with the likes of , and , and that is something he thinks the club now deeply miss.

Results

Fans have , the team is booed off the pitch almost every time they play, and

Cole told SunSport some names he would like to see join Chelsea in the summer to address that experience problem and help reset the culture at the club.

Cole played in a Chelsea team packed full of leaders Credit: Getty Stands hardly EVER looked like this when he was playing Credit: Getty

He said, “Chelsea’s mandate was trying to buy the best players in the world, because we were trying to win every competition we could.

“And so, you knew where you were shopping. I don’t even know where Chelsea is shopping now, that’s the truth.

“Garnacho, for example, is clearly a talented footballer who needs to be in an environment where he’s not the main man, and he’s able to develop

The thing is, it doesn’t work, then his confidence dips, and there’s no structure around him to help him, and he needs to help himself as well. So, what happens is these great young players are not in the right environment.

“It’s like buying all the most talented scientists in the world and then putting them in a prep school without really good teachers. They’re not going to get better.”

“I think of experienced players who can come into the squad and help out immediately. So you’re looking at who’s available, I’m thinking players like .

“Lewandowski, he’s coming to the end of his contract, we need a centre forward.

“He probably fancies the Premier League and living in London, give him a year-long contract to come and play 35 games for us and help out and help out Joao Pedro. They need those types of players.

Cole would offer Robert Lewandowski a one-year contract Credit: Getty And thinks John Stones and Jordan Henderson could help the Blues Credit: Getty

“Jordan Henderson, I said last season and people laughed.

“Look at what Football Club have done, and nobody’s going, “hold on a minute.”

“I know he’s not been blowing the doors off on . But he sets the tone, and he’s helped players around him, all the untangible things you can’t see. We spent all this money on young players, but they have no one around them.”

Cole’s passion for Chelsea was evident when speaking to him, and his love for his former club has never been doubted by fans.

He was speaking to SunSport on behalf of Samsung, who are supporting pubs ahead of a big summer of sport.

Through Samsung’s new Raise The Bar campaign you can vote for your local pub at www.watchitonasamsung.com to receive thousands of pounds worth of TV tech upgrades so its match ready.