Chelsea Transfer News: Pedro Opens Up on Jose Mourinho; Antoine Griezmann Blow

New Chelsea winger Pedro has opened up about his move from Barcelona to the Blues and life under manager Jose Mourinho, while Atletico Madrid winger Antoine Griezmann has committed his future to his current club, ruling out a transfer in the near future.  

As reported by Marca's Miguel Angel Lara, Pedro thinks football is played faster in England, which suits his particular abilities, and he claims the Mourinho he works with every day is nothing like the manager fans see on television:

"

I think I made a good decision with Chelsea. The welcome I've had from everyone has been great from the start. That has made it easy for me to adapt quickly and well.

I was used to the way Barça build up the play, playing touch football, and everything is faster in England; faster transitions. All the teams are very physical. I think it's a very good league for me because there are spaces, a lot of counterattacking, constant opportunities.

Although it might sound strange to some people, Mourinho is very different in person. He treats you like one of his family. He really cares about, values.

"

The 28-year-old joined Chelsea during the summer, having spent his entire career with La Liga giants Barcelona.

A vital part of the side that dominated when Pep Guardiola led the squad, he dropped down the pecking order following the arrivals of Neymar and Luis Suarez. He was allowed to leave the club during the summer and expected to join Manchester United, but instead, he opted to move to the Blues, where he was reunited with former team-mate Cesc Fabregas.

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As reported by the Manchester Evening News' James Robson, the Spain international chose the Blues because they were more "decisive" in their pursuit, and it had nothing to do with the Red Devils' treatment of former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who has been frozen out at the club.

While he doesn't appreciate how the club has handled the situation, it had no influence on his decision, and Valdes actually speaks highly of the side:

"

It’s true that I don’t like that treatment for my colleagues, especially for Victor, who has been a reference as a teammate and as a professional.I don’t believe it’s fair, but it didn’t influence my decision. He told me that the club was very good and there was a great fan following, that his only problem was the situation with the coach. It’s a great club, but I believe I have chosen well to join Chelsea, I’m convinced.

"

Pedro scored in his Chelsea debut and has clearly adapted to the English game well, quickly developing an understanding with fellow forwards Willian and Eden Hazard. The experienced veteran was expected to be an immediate impact player, and so far, he hasn't disappointed.

He obviously values the great reception he received from the club, and as someone who grew up in the Barcelona system, where they pride themselves on being “more than a club,” it's easy to understand why he speaks so highly of Mourinho and how he treats his players.

Former players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic seem to love the manager and always speak highly of him, so it's not hard to believe working under Mourinho is a pleasure for Pedro.

France international Griezmann is unlikely to join the Chelsea family anytime soon, however. Appearing on Onda Cero's Al Primer Toque (h/t Tom Conn of Inside Spanish Football), the Atletico star reiterated his desire to stay in Madrid, where he hopes to reach the levels of La Liga stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi:

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I’ve read the things people say speculating that I might’ve left this summer, but I’m really enjoying myself here and if the club wants me to stay, I’d love to do so.  The Calderon is like my back garden.  I’m with my mates, they support me and we always go out and give our all.

I don’t know the number but I want to score more than 25 goals this season, which was my total last season.  I’m working hard to reach Messi and Cristiano’s level.

"

Griezmann joined Atleti in the summer of 2014 and took some time to adapt to his new surroundings, but he exploded during the second half of the season and finished the campaign with 22 goals in 29 La Liga starts, per WhoScored.com.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

He was linked with a move to Stamford Bridge during the summer, but as reported by AS (h/t the Daily Express' Adam Skinner), he agreed to an improved contract that greatly increased his buyout clause, all but ruling out a move.

That didn't stop the speculation, however, per Sky Sports' Guillem Balague, and given the transformation the 24-year-old underwent in the second half of the season, it's normal interest in his services remained high. Jonathon Aspey of These Football Times is highly impressed with his development:

Griezmann will have the chance to build on his stellar 2014-15 campaign during the upcoming season and cement his place in France's starting XI ahead of Euro 2016. If he shines on that stage, big transfer offers should follow, and the summer of 2016 could be a massive one for the star forward.

He's in the perfect situation to continue his development under manager Diego Simeone, so don't expect Griezmann to move in January.

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