Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has admitted he tried to sign midfielder Luka Modric, but the Real Madrid star rebuffed his advances.

Mourinho signed Modric in 2012 while in charge at the Bernabeu and he hoped he could take the former Tottenham playmaker back to London this summer.

However, Mourinho has revealed Modric, who had previously been interested in signing for Chelsea while at Spurs, stated his desire to remain with the Champions League winners.

"I called Modric only privately but he doesn’t want (to join) Chelsea," Mourinho is quoted as telling Croatian newspaper Sportske Novosti.

"You know I really appreciate Luka Modric and his qualities. But he stays in Real Madrid."

Following the rejection from Modric, Mourinho successfully turned his attention to Cesc Fabregas, who moved to Stamford Bridge for a reported fee of £30million (AED 187m)