Petr Cech will be allowed to make a decision on his next club, says José Mourinho

José Mourinho has revealed that Petr Čech has earned the right to choose his own club after more than a decade of service to Chelsea.

The Czech Republic international has found himself out of favour following the return of Thibaut Courtois on loan at Atletico Madrid. The Belgian has been in superb form since his arrival, bettered only by the impenetrable David de Gea as the best keeper in the league.

Čech's chances have therefore dwindled considerably which has not gone down well with the 32-year-old, thereby demanding a transfer after the end of the season. Arsenal are very interested in signing the player but previous experiences with Mourinho suggest that the Portuguese manager is not keen on conducting transfer business with Arsene Wenger.

It was made apparent when the he refused to sell an out of favour Demba Ba to the Gunners last season in spite of the player demanding a move to north London. However, the situation with Čech is ostensibly different, with Mourinho stating that the player has earned the right to a decision regarding his next club for his service.

A move to Arsenal should allow Čech to play in the Champions League, with the Gunners placed in pole position to secure a top four place for the 19th year in succession under Wenger.

Tottenham are also interested in the player as they prepare for life after Hugo Lloris, who has attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain.

"Petr Čech is not a player, he's an institution. It's different – 10 years in goal, going through everything he went through, great moments and sad moments, dying on the pitch. With institutions, you have to deal with things in a different manner. I think he won the right to be part of a discussion and a decision. He deserves a special perspective," said Mourinho.

"I don't like players that don't want to play for me and my club. My opinion is, every player has a price. The player's value is decided by the selling club, not the agent, the player, the player's father, not the cousin. The club that sells is in control, not the club that buys," he added.