Mourinho rules out move for Barthez

Jose Mourinho has ruled out a move for Fabien Barthez after third-choice goalkeeper Hilario helped Chelsea overcome Barcelona at Stamford Bridge.

Hilario made a competent Blues debut in last night's 1-0 Champions League win after Petr Cech and understudy Carlo Cudicini had both been sidelined with head injuries sustained in the 1-0 win over Reading on Saturday.

Former France keeper Barthez, who only recently announced his retirement from the game, is a free agent and therefore entitled to join another club outside the transfer window.

But Blues boss Mourinho insists Barthez is too much of a 'high profile' player to join his squad as a third-choice keeper.

Mourinho said: "What I know in this moment is that we have 50 agents calling us and, if they call us, they call the press.

"So Fabien Barthez is a name. There are a lot of names in the air. What I know is that Carlo and Hilario are very good goalkeepers and it is not easy for somebody to come and play in this team. Probably, what we have to try to get is a third goalkeeper and, of course, Fabien is not a preferred third goalkeeper. He is a high-profile goalkeeper.

"I prefer to think that now we have Hilario and Carlo, they are first options and we need somebody to give us security and replace Petr Cech in the group of keepers. That is the profile of the goalkeeper we are looking for."

Cech is likely to be out for a year following surgery on his fractured skull although Cudicini, concussed at Reading, will be back within the next week.

Chairman Bruce Buck said: "When events occur such as those that befell Petr and Carlo over the weekend, it puts things into perspective. Carlo, we are all hopeful, will be back to normal soon. Petr's situation is more problematic. He will need time to recover.

"We are optimistic of a full recovery and look forward to when the best goalkeeper in the world dons his No 1 shirt again at the Bridge."