Garth Crooks believes Jose Mourinho is “falling about with laughter” after Manchester United beat Chelsea to the signing of Romelu Lukaku.
The Belgium international was heavily linked with a return to the Premier League champions earlier in the summer transfer window.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte informed Diego Costa that he was free to leave the west London side as the Blues looked to get a deal to sign Lukaku over the line.
However, Manchester United managed to swoop in and complete a £75m deal to bring Lukaku to Old Trafford from Everton despite interest from Chelsea.
Chelsea were forced to rethink their transfer plans and the reigning champions signed Alvaro Morata in a £58m deal from La Liga giants Real Madrid.
The west London side have been unable to offload Costa in the current transfer window so far despite interest from Atletico Madrid and AC Milan.
Chelsea lost 3-2 to Burnley in their opening Premier League game before Lukaku scored twice in Manchester United’s 4-0 win against West Ham on Sunday.
Former Spurs forward Crooks believes Mourinho is delighted to have beaten Chelsea to the signing of Lukaku and prevent the Blues from building around the Belgian forward.
“To snatch the Belgium international from under the gaze of Chelsea, who clearly wanted him, must have left a very sweet taste in Mourinho’s mouth,” Crooks told BBC Sport. “He knows only too well what Antonio Conte could do with a player such as Lukaku at his disposal.
“Now Chelsea have lost the striker and look like losing Diego Costa into the bargain – all because of Conte’s impetuousness and inability to resist sending his top goalscorer a text stating his services were no longer required before he knew he had Lukaku in the bag. “Mourinho must be falling about with laughter.”
The west London side have been unable to offload Costa in the current transfer window so far despite interest from Atletico Madrid and AC Milan.
Chelsea lost 3-2 to Burnley in their opening Premier League game before Lukaku scored twice in Manchester United’s 4-0 win against West Ham on Sunday.
Former Spurs forward Crooks believes Mourinho is delighted to have beaten Chelsea to the signing of Lukaku and prevent the Blues from building around the Belgian forward.
“To snatch the Belgium international from under the gaze of Chelsea, who clearly wanted him, must have left a very sweet taste in Mourinho’s mouth,” Crooks told BBC Sport. “He knows only too well what Antonio Conte could do with a player such as Lukaku at his disposal.
“Now Chelsea have lost the striker and look like losing Diego Costa into the bargain – all because of Conte’s impetuousness and inability to resist sending his top goalscorer a text stating his services were no longer required before he knew he had Lukaku in the bag. “Mourinho must be falling about with laughter.”
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