Jose Mourinho: Chelsea manager 'admires' Garry Monk's Swansea
Last updated on .From the section Football
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has praised the work Garry Monk has done at Swansea ahead of the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
Champions Chelsea begin the defence of their title at home to Monk's side on Saturday evening.
Swansea finished with a record points total and in eighth place in 2014-15 and Mourinho says they will his side a tough test in their opening game.
"It's a difficult kick-off to the season for us," Mourinho said.
Monk signed a new three-year deal with the Swans in July after the club broke their Premier League points record tally, ending last season with 56.
The former Southampton defender took over as interim manager in February 2014 following the departure of Michael Laudrup.
| Swansea's summer transfers | |
|---|---|
| INS | OUTS |
| Eder (£5m from Braga) | Rory Donnelly (free to Gillingham) |
| Andre Ayew (free from Marseille) | Ashley Richards (£500,000 to Fulham) |
| Franck Tabanou (undisclosed from St Etienne) | David Cornell (free to Oldham) |
| Kristoffer Nordfeldt (undisclosed from Heerenveen) | |
Mourinho, in his second spell in charge at Stamford Bridge, has been impressed with Swansea's progress under Monk.
"He's doing very well and the club is doing magnificently," Mourinho told BBC Wales Sport.
"Garry's got a good team already but he's improved the team.
"It's a very good team and he's a very good young manager at a club that I admire a lot."
Swansea's game at Chelsea on Saturday will mark the start of their fifth season in the Premier League following promotion via the Championship play-off final in 2011.
Mourinho, who had spells with Inter Milan and Real Madrid before returning to Chelsea in June 2013, says Swansea are firmly established as a top-flight club.
"I left the Premier League [in 2007] with Swansea in the Championship," Mourinho said
"I came back to England a few years later with Swansea not only in the Premier League but a stable and strong club in the Premier League."
Chelsea have so far only signed £8m goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to replace Arsenal signing Petr Cech and brought in Monaco striker Radamel Falcao on loan.
They were beaten 1-0 by Italy's Fiorentina in their final pre-season friendly at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.