Chelsea Transfer News: Blues Wise Not to Pursue Cristiano Ronaldo Deal

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is wise to rule out pursuing a deal for Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo. The prolific Portuguese international's presence would disrupt the structure of a well-balanced Chelsea team.

Mourinho, who managed Ronaldo at Real Madrid for three seasons before returning to Chelsea last summer, was quick to dampen speculation he will reunite with the player in the near future.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

That's according to Daily Star reporter Rhys Turrell:

"

Both United and Chelsea have been linked with swoops for the Portuguese ace.

However, the Old Trafford giants now appear to be free to sign their former player after Mourinho's claim that the Blues are not interested in the player.

When asked about his club's rumoured interest in Ronaldo, he said: 'Forget it.'

"

Mourinho's emphatic denial came on the heels of a report from Daily Express writer Anthony Chapman suggesting the Blues were ready to pay £60 million to sign Ronaldo:

"

However, reports now claim that Jose Mourinho has thrown his hat into the ring after forming a close-bond with the 29-year-old during their time together in the Spanish capital.

Madrid have moved on a number of stars including Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria this summer, and could reluctantly part ways with Ronaldo if the player pushes for a move, with some outlets naming Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus and Blues winger Eden Hazard as potential replacements.

"

Any move for Ronaldo would wreck the balance Mourinho has carefully crafted following a summer of shrewd transfer business. Specifically, Mourinho smartly reshuffled the tip of his team's attack.

The additions of playmaker Cesc Fabregas and striker Diego Costa has given Chelsea the one-two punch in forward areas the team lacked last season. Costa's centralised movement has quickly become the key to Mourinho's new-look attack.

He is the natural focal point Fabregas aims for and wide forwards such as Eden Hazard, Willian and Andre Schurrle play around. But Costa's prominence along the Blues' forward line would soon diminish with Ronaldo in the fold.

The Portuguese ace demands to be the centre of attention every time he plays. He's the man team-mates must look for whenever they receive the ball.

That would narrow the focus of Fabregas, whose primary function is to create a myriad of chances for multiple attackers, with Costa as his first point of reference. Ronaldo would certainly love playing in the same team as Fabregas, one of the game's most generous creators.

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

It's no coincidence that Ronaldo has grown weary of life with Los Blancos after the team sold Mesut Ozil and Angel Di Maria in consecutive summers. They are two players whose games became defined by how often they supplied Ronaldo.

However, Fabregas wouldn't be as effective to Chelsea's team ethic if he was tied so rigorously to supplying Ronaldo. The same is true for Costa, who wouldn't make as big an impact having to create space for Ronaldo.

While he has ostensibly begun games from the flanks for most of his career, Ronaldo is no winger. He's a pure striker in the roving forward mode that has become the template for the position during the modern era.

Ronaldo channels most of his movement to go through the middle, exactly the area Costa calls home. Costa is Mourinho's idea of a lone striker, powerful, tenacious, crafty and efficient. He's not made to share the spotlight in this team.

Aside from Costa and Fabregas, Mourinho also has to think about what Ronaldo's arrival would do to a player like Hazard. The Belgian trickster is a budding star, if only he could establish some consistency.

Sang Tan/Associated Press

That's what Mourinho has been working hard to get Hazard to produce. He is trying to craft his own Ronaldo, per Sky Sports:

"

The Belgium international has been in impressive form for Chelsea this season, and he revealed Mourinho's man-management has helped his development.

Mourinho has described the 23-year-old as the 'best young player in the world' and challenged Hazard try to match the standards of players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

"

Signing the actual Ronaldo would certainly put the brakes on that process. But the truth is with Hazard, Schurrle and Willian around, Ronaldo would simply be a luxury signing, albeit a particularly lavish one.

Mourinho is right to shun his former player. His current Chelsea squad is brilliantly balanced and is one of the few in world football with little need for Ronaldo's individualist talents.