Zanetti played for Mourinho when the Portuguese was in charge at Inter Milan from 2008 to 2010. The 40-year-old was made club captain by Mourinho and the duo won a historic treble of Serie A, Champions League and Coppa Italia in the 2009-10 season.

There were reports suggesting that Mourinho is interested in a reunion with Zanetti and he was ready to offer him a player/coach role at the Bridge. Zanetti, who has spent nearly two decades with Inter, enjoyed a fantastic relationship with the ‘Special One’ and both still remain in touch.

However, the defensive midfielder has brushed off reports linking with a move to Chelsea by insisting that Inter is his ‘life’. According to TEAMtalk, he said, “Honestly, I have a great rapport with Mourinho. We hear from each other frequently, but we’ve never discussed these things.”

He added, “I believe the Inter fans know how I feel about this shirt. I’ve always stressed that this club is my life and my home. And it’s my desire to stay here. I don’t need to add anything else.”