LISBON, Aug 18: Jose Mourinho believes Chelsea fans value retaining the Premier League title above all other trophies including the European Cup, he said in an interview published in his native Portugal on Friday.

“Knowing the mentality of the English, the league is more important than the rest,” the Chelsea manager told the daily Publico. “We have to win (it).”

Mourinho, determined to win the Champions League this season, is looking for a third successive English championship title with Chelsea.

He said he was confident of the quality of his players but his team still faced defensive deficiencies he hoped to fix by signing Arsenal's England left back Ashley Cole.

“We made an offer (for Cole) and Arsenal made a counter offer. At this point I won't say the negotiations are closed,” Mourinho said.

He added that he expected Arsenal to respond to Chelsea's final offer for the player by the Aug 31 transfer deadline.

Asked when he intended to leave the Premier League, Mourinho said he did not know whether he would serve out his contract until 2010 but the recent match-fixing scandal in Italy had highlighted the qualities of the English game.

“After being let down by the recent dark period that swept the Italian league, I don't see a league more competitive and with more fair play than the English,” Mourinho said.

“It is the first time I stay at a club three years in a row. And if I remain here it's because I like it and want to go on.”—Reuters