Jose Mourinho’s 10 Best Signings of All-time
- Think Football Ideas
- Sep 6
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 23
Very few outside Portugal had heard the name Jose Mourinho until he shocked the continent by guiding Porto to Champions League glory in 2004. His “Special One” declaration at Stamford Bridge months later drew a spotlight that rarely left him, cementing his aura as a manager who thrived on confidence and delivery.
Over the years, his methods have been dissected, his tactics scrutinised, and his personality both celebrated and criticised. Yet whatever the narrative, Mourinho has always been about results. When given players who matched his vision, his teams won. Among those, a handful stood above the rest.
Below Are The 10 Best Players Jose Mourinho Has Signed During His Managerial Career
10. Zlatan Ibrahimović
From: PSG → Manchester United (2016)
Transfer Fee: Free
When Mourinho returned to Manchester United in 2016, he leaned on trust, bringing in Zlatan Ibrahimović without a transfer fee.
Their strong bond from earlier years convinced the Swedish striker to accept the Premier League challenge late in his career.
Ibrahimović delivered with ruthless authority, scoring 28 goals across his first season while carrying Man United to Europa League, League Cup, and Community Shield triumphs.
His winning mentality and magnetic presence provided United’s dressing room with a figurehead during an uncertain period. Although injury and age eventually slowed him, his impact across 53 matches remains one of Mourinho’s smartest acquisitions.
9. Ashley Cole
From: Arsenal → Chelsea (2006)
Fee: £5m + William Gallas
The summer of 2006 saw Chelsea secure Ashley Cole in a deal that exchanged William Gallas and £5m to Arsenal. Mourinho recognised in Cole a relentless competitor with the balance of defensive solidity and attacking width.
Over time, Cole proved himself the finest left-back of the Premier League era, defined by positional discipline and flawless tackling.
His contribution in both Mourinho’s first and second spells at Stamford Bridge shaped Chelsea’s identity as a hardened, winning machine.
With 337 appearances in blue, Cole’s legacy at Chelsea still eclipses any rival in his position. He was a signing that blended tactical need with sheer quality.
8. Benni McCarthy
From: Celta Vigo → Porto (2003)
Fee: £3.15m
Before Porto became the kings of Europe, Mourinho needed a striker who could convert dominance into goals. His answer was Benni McCarthy, and he signed permanently from Celta Vigo for just over £3m in 2003.
The South African had a devastating debut season, scoring 25 times and providing the cutting edge that propelled Porto towards their historic 2004 Champions League crown.
Across his time at the Estádio do Dragão, McCarthy struck 57 goals in 124 appearances, becoming a national hero and an essential component of Mourinho’s early legacy. His story epitomises Mourinho’s knack for finding players who thrived under pressure.
6. Wesley Sneijder
From: Real Madrid → Inter Milan (2009)
Fee: £13.3m
By 2009, Serie A Giants Inter Milan needed a creative spark in midfield, and Mourinho identified Wesley Sneijder as the man to orchestrate his attacking patterns.
Inter went on with it and signed Sneijder from Real Madrid for £13.3m, and the Dutchman delivered immediately. His vision, technical precision, and leadership were central to Inter’s treble-winning campaign in 2010.
That same year, he carried the Netherlands to the World Cup final in South Africa, winning the Silver Ball. Although his career later declined, his period under Mourinho showcased his peak as a world-class playmaker.
In 116 Inter appearances, Sneijder was never far from decisive moments, proving himself the heartbeat of one of Mourinho’s greatest projects.
5. Diego Costa
From: Atlético Madrid → Chelsea (2014)
Fee: £32m
Few strikers reflected Mourinho’s aggressive footballing personality more than Diego da Silva Costa. Signed for £32m from La Liga club Atlético Madrid in 2014, Costa arrived at Chelsea as a battle-hardened goalscorer.
He immediately terrorised Premier League defences, firing 21 goals in his debut season and leading the Blues to a domestic double on Mourinho's second return to the Bridge.
His relentless pressing, physical duels, and ice-cold finishing provided Chelsea with an edge they had missed.
Costa’s tally of 59 goals across 120 games may appear modest, but his influence went beyond numbers because he brought fear to defenders and fire to teammates, embodying Mourinho’s demand for warriors on the pitch.
4. Ricardo Carvalho
From: Porto → Chelsea (2004)
Fee: £20m
No player understood Mourinho’s methods more instinctively than Ricardo Carvalho. Having flourished under him at Porto, Carvalho followed his mentor to Chelsea for £20m in 2004.
Elegant yet commanding, Carvalho provided balance beside John Terry in defence, blending anticipation with technical poise as they became one of the Premier League's best centre-back partnerships of all-time.
Across six seasons, he made 210 appearances and collected three Premier League titles, helping establish Chelsea as the era’s defensive benchmark. Later reunited at Real Madrid, the partnership between coach and defender underlined the trust and mutual respect they shared.
Carvalho’s influence extended beyond trophies, as he epitomised Mourinho’s preference for intelligent, reliable lieutenants at the heart of his teams.
Luka Modrić
From: Tottenham → Real Madrid (2012)
Fee: £30m
Mourinho’s time at Real Madrid is remembered for intensity, both on the field and in the press.
Yet among his quieter successes was the signing of midfield maestro Luka Modrić from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012.
Initially, he was viewed as underwhelming, but Modrić settled into Spanish football and later became a midfield architect of his generation, winning multiple trophies with Los Blancos, including four La Liga titles and six Champions League titles, as well as the Ballon d’Or in 2018.
While Mourinho only oversaw Modrić for one campaign, his decision to push for the Croatian’s arrival set Madrid on a path that would define the following decade. Over 500 appearances later, Modrić is recognised as one of the greatest midfielders ever to play the game.
3. Samuel Eto’o
From: Barcelona → Inter Milan (2009)
Fee: £40m + Zlatan Ibrahimović to Barça
Few deals in football history have been as lopsided in hindsight as the exchange that sent Zlatan Ibrahimović to Barcelona and Samuel Eto’o to Inter Milan with £40m added on top.
Mourinho immediately benefited, moulding Eto’o into a selfless forward who worked tirelessly in attack and defence. In 2010, the Cameroonian delivered 16 goals in a treble-winning campaign, followed by 37 in the season after.
Though their later reunion at Chelsea lacked the same spark, their bond at Inter defined Mourinho’s most triumphant year.
Eto’o’s 53 goals in 102 appearances captured a legacy of sacrifice and excellence in equal measure.
2. Diego Milito
From: Genoa → Inter Milan (2009)
Fee: £22.2m
In the summer of 2009, Mourinho identified Diego Milito as the striker capable of turning Inter into European champions.
Signed from Genoa for £22.2m, Milito’s movement, finishing, and intelligence made him indispensable.
His defining performance came in the 2010 Champions League final, where he scored both goals against Bayern Munich to secure the treble.
That night in Madrid remains one of Mourinho’s crowning achievements, and Milito’s execution of the plan was flawless.
Across 171 games, he recorded 75 goals and 28 assists, cementing his place as one of the most decisive strikers Mourinho ever managed.
1. Didier Drogba
Above all others, Didier Drogba symbolises Mourinho’s legacy as a manager who built dynasties with personalities as strong as his own.
Drogba's services were secured from Marseille for £24m in 2004, and he became the face of Chelsea’s new era. Combining physical dominance with clutch finishing, he delivered 164 goals in 381 appearances.
His haul included four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and the Champions League, where his equaliser and winning penalty in 2012 became legendary.
Drogba was more than a striker. He was a leader, warrior, and talisman. For Mourinho, Drogba was one of the main players who transformed Chelsea into perennial contenders.
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