Jose Mourinho: Chelsea sold Juan Mata, Andre Schurrle and Lukaku for top prices because they are top players

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has claimed Juan Mata, Andre Schurrle, Romelu Lukaku, and Kevin De Bruyne recently left Stamford Bridge for "top prices" because they are "top players".

The Portuguese boss has recently been praised for how he has managed to adapt to the Financial Fair Play restrictions by overhauling his side with a tight budget.

Even though the Blues have recently paid big fees to secure the services of stars like Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa or Juan Cuadrado, they have almost managed to receive a similar amount by selling some fringe members of the squad.

Mourinho parted ways with Mata during the January 2013 transfer window after Manchester United agreed to pay a then club record £37.1m to secure his services, despite the Spaniard having barely played during the first part of the last campaign.

Chelsea have also replicated the same methods in recent times selling De Bruyne (around £19m) and Schurrle (£28m) to Wolfsburg, Lukaku to Everton (£28m), and David Luiz to PSG (£40m).

When asked about how Chelsea managed to sell all the stars for such big fees despite them not being regular players, Mourinho said: "We don't sell garbage. We sell top players."

"Mata is world champion. Schurrle is world champion. Lukaku is one of the best young strikers, a fantastic prospect. De Bruyne is also one of the best young players. Both playing for a very important national team, probably one of the best national teams for the next decade.

"We sell top players and we get top fees. If we didn't get top fees, we wouldn't sell them because we want to keep them."

Chelsea will face Lukaku on Wednesday night, 11 February, for the first time since his £28m permanent move to Goodison Park last summer in their Premier League game against Everton.

Mourinho hopes supporters will provide him with a good reception and says the Belgian starlet has not got to prove himself against his former side despite being unable to succeed at West London.

"No, he doesn't have a point to prove. I think he proves every weekend that he's a good player. Nobody has doubts at Chelsea that he's a good player. He has nothing to prove to us. He is a difficult opponent. You have to know that. We know that better than anyone.

"We know [Andre] Schurrle is a good player. [Kevin] De Bruyne is a good player. [Juan] Mata is a good player. But that's football, that's life, that's the market. The players' wishes sometimes to be in clubs where they become clearly the first options. That's football, that's life."