Mourinho insists he supports Abramovich's decision to sell Cech to Arsenal

Jose Mourinho insists he backed Roman Abramovich's decision to let Petr Cech join Arsenal.

Mourinho wanted to keep long-serving stopper Cech but when it was clear he wanted to move the Special One was then reluctant to sell him to rivals Arsenal.

But he always accepted Abramovich would have the final say and was overruled when the Blues owner sanctioned Cech's £10m switch to the Gunners.

Abramovich felt Cech, 33, deserved to choose his next club after the loyalty and service he gave Chelsea.

Mourinho said: "Petr has been a great servant for Chelsea for 11 years and helped this club to win almost everything there is to win.

"I always said I wanted him to stay but I understand Petr needed to move on to play first team football every week.

"Sometimes you have to respect the wishes of someone who has earned so much respect with his service and actions for your club. I support the owner's decision to honour the player in this way.

"It is very rare in football to make a decision like this and for that reason I am proud of my club for making it. There are not many clubs in the world big enough to be able to make that decision."

Cech, who admitted yesterday Mourinho did not want him to join Arsenal, said: "I think it has been great to have a chat with Jose because he is a manager that I have worked with for the longest time in my career.

"He had to make his decision at the start of last season, I had to make my decision at the start of this season.

"But I will always keep the best regards for him because I believe that we had so much success and so much respect for each other.

"He is one of the best managers in the world. Now, we will be opponents but it will not change our relationship, I believe.

"I have a huge respect for him and we had a good chat about it. Obviously I know he would have loved me to stay, but that's the way it goes."