Jose Mourinho has hit back at
Arsène Wenger over the sale of Juan Mata to
Manchester United, saying that
"Wenger complaining is normal because he always does".
The Arsenal manager had suggested on Thursday that Chelsea selling the Spanish playmaker to United, having played the champions twice whereas the other title contenders have still to face David Moyes's side, would give
Chelsea an unfair advantage.
Mourinho, who on Friday confirmed that Mata is on his way to United and will have a medical before his £37m move there, added that
Arsenalseem to have an advantage when it comes to the fixture list.
"Wenger complaining is normal, because he always does. It's something that we know. When a player plays for a club on August 20 and two weeks later on September 5 plays against the same club with a different shirt, this is normal, because this is the market.
"We don't do the market, we don't do the rules, we have just to do according to the rules. If Wenger sells [Mesut] Özil to Man United in this moment I would be very happy because he sells a very important player. Normally he should be happy that Chelsea sold a player like Juan Mata, but this is a little bit his nature. When he says this is not fair, I think what is not fair is that his team always has the best days to play [getting more rest inbetween games]."
Mourinho added that the Mata transfer was completely separate to any potential deal for Wayne Rooney to go in the opposite direction: "If we said to United 'You didn't sell us Wayne Rooney in the summer so we won't sell you Juan Mata' that is not right."
He added: "We had an offer that is a right offer. I asked him [Mata], 'Are you really happy to go?'. He said, 'Yes, I'm really happy to go.'" Mata was Chelsea's player of the year for the last two seasons but has been marginalized at the London club this campaign following the return of Mourinho as manager in the summer. Mata has largely been on the bench, with Mourinho preferring Eden Hazard, Willian and Oscar as his playmakers.