Mourinho plays down Falcao early exit rumours

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has responded to rumours that Radamel Falcao may end his loan spell in January, claiming he speaks to the Colombian every day and knows nothing about a premature end to his season-long loan.

Rumblings in the press suggested the striker is unhappy at Stamford Bridge and could head back to Monaco before the end of the season, but the Blues boss played down the rumours.

Speaking to the press in Kiev ahead of the club's Champions League match with Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday, Mourinho maintained that the striker would not be leaving in January.

"First of all I don’t know if it’s true. I speak with him every day, it’s quite strange that the press knows something that I don’t, or my club know," the Chelsea boss said.

"He has to give us more than Diego Costa. We normally play with one striker and I always go for the performance level for the position - the best one plays."

Mourinho also fielded questions on winger Eden Hazard, after the Belgian was dropped for the win over Aston Villa on Saturday, and refused to say whether the 24-year-old would be recalled for the Dynamo clash.

“Last season, he had a phenomenal season,” the manager said of Hazard.

“I won’t tell you if he will play... they [Dynamo] won’t know.”