The Portugese manager has made a return to English football and to Chelsea six years after he left London to explore opportunities across Europe. As soon as he was re-announced manager, there has been constant media speculation as to what personnel changes he will make ahead of the new season. There has been special emphasis on the club’s defense with mention of the future of club captain, John Terry.

The English international will soon enter the last year of his contract with the Blues and there have been no signs of a contract extension in recent weeks. The bad phase for the 32-year old started in the middle stages of last season after he was acrimoniously dropped from the first team by former manager Rafael Benitez. His appearances in the first team have been scant and irregular since then.

With Mourinho’s arrival, there was some hope for Terry of returning to the first team next season. However, Mourinho has simply made it all the more difficult for him to walk in once again, as he was reported by DailyMail saying that no player will take his place for granted, and that Mourinho will not hesitate to drop that player, no matter how big a name he is at the club. “I am a coach who looks for a meritocracy. Whoever I think is best must play – without looking at status or the past,” Mourinho told Spanish TV programme Punta Pelota.

“You play as you train. It is a normal situation.”

“As it was normal for me to leave [Marco] Materazzi, a mythical player at Inter Milan, on the bench. Or like Benitez this year at Chelsea with Terry.”

“The fans can think that Iker is better than Diego [Lopez]. I accept that, but I am the coach. If they play or not, that is a problem for the player.”

Do you see these comments causing a massive crack in the relationship between Mourinho and Terry? Or is this just talk and Jose will place his faith in JT once more?