Chelsea defender John Terry has spoken of his affection for Jose Mourinho amid suggestions the Portuguese is set to return to the club.
Mourinho previously enjoyed a successful three-year stint at the helm of the London side, winning two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups before an acrimonious departure in 2007.
Following Real Madrid’s recent exit from the UEFA Champions League, Mourinho hit out at the Spanish press and claimed he is keen to join a club where he is “loved” at the end of the season.
And Terry believes the 50-year-old would be welcomed with open arms were that to mean a return to Chelsea, having maintained contact with several key members of the squad.
He told Marca: “Mourinho has a great relationship with our fans because we won the Premier League and several other titles with him. Real Madrid must be respected, as he is under contract.
“The fans have clearly shown that he is the man they want after everything he won. He’s still the ‘Special One’.
“We send each other text messages and often wish each other good luck. He’s interested in our results and everything that happens at the club. He’s not only in contact with me but also with (Frank) Lampard and other players.
“He’s been winning titles at Real for three years and he has the chance to win the Copa del Rey this season. All I can say is that he’s a top manager who I really enjoyed working under.
“He always thought about the squad, not just the starting XI. He explained things to you, also when you weren’t playing and demanded everything from you. We worked hard and we could also talk to him about personal problems.”
