Chelsea's Jose Mourinho warns Arsenal transfer of Petr Cech may have to be part-exchange deal

Jose Mourinho will let Petr Cech leave Chelsea for Arsenal - if he can sign a Gunners star in part-exchange.

The Special One has reluctantly agreed to owner Roman Abramovich's edict that keeper Cech should be allowed to quit Stamford Bridge after 11 years in search of regular first-team football as recognition of his outstanding service.

But Mourinho will only part with a Blues legend on his own terms - and he is prepared to play hard-ball with Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger.

He warned: "For every club that is interested in Petr, I can find a player I like in that club, too."

Mourinho is known to admire Theo Walcott, who has still to sign a new contract at the Emirates, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Cech, 33, is on his way out after losing his No.1 slot to 23-year-old Thibaut Courtois - and, with Wenger leading the chase for his signature, Abramovich has told Mourinho not to stand in Cech's way.

Asked for his solution to the Cech conundrum, the Chelsea manager said: "My answer is not important - the owner is the person with perspective I admire, because he respects people who achieve important things for him."

"Since 2004, we have had 10 years of success, 10 years of unbelievable behaviour (from Cech). I will have to accept any decision that the owner makes, but I'm different."

...TheMirror