Jose Mourinho: EPL tougher to win as mid-table teams make additions
Jose Mourinho claims that the transfer of players like Yohan Cabaye to mid-table clubs makes the Premier League "very, very hard" to win.
The Chelsea claims that winning the Premier League title now is a far more difficult undertaking than in his first spell as Blues manager, which began in 2004.
"England at the time was Manchester United and Arsenal, and it was Chelsea coming with all the ambition of Roman Abramovich," Mourinho told ESPN.
"There was a big distance between these three and the others. Obviously, it was very competitive because of the nature of England. It is the mentality of everyone. But the distances were huge.
"In this moment it is different. Clearly, five teams can win the title. One of them will be champion, and one of them will not even qualify for the Champions League.
"So two years ago, Manchester City were champions and Man Utd out of the Champions League. Last year Chelsea were champions and Liverpool were out of the Champions League.
"And next season somebody will be champions and somebody will be outside of the Champions League.
"Cabaye at Crystal Palace - a player that left Newcastle two years ago to go to Paris Saint-Germain to get lots of money on a big transfer fee - is coming to Crystal Palace.
"The players that are going to Stoke; the players that are going to Everton; with the players that are going to every club in the Premier League it is getting much more difficult.
"So, that's what I felt last season, and that's what I feel this season. At this moment the Premier League is the top competition, and it's very, very hard."
