Bankrolled by Russian owner Roman Abramovich, Mourinho led Chelsea to consecutive league titles in 2005 and 2006 in his previous stint with the English Premier League club. However, the financial landscape has changed, with Uefa pushing clubs to move towards financial sustainability or face potential exclusion from competitions like the Champions League. Mourinho emphasized the importance of working closely with the board in financial matters and taking a different approach to player recruitment and development. Chelsea's recent signing of winger Andre Schuerrle for a reported fee of 18 million pounds marked their first signing since Mourinho's return. Mourinho stressed the significance of qualifying for the Champions League for the stability and success of Chelsea, especially in light of Financial Fair Play regulations.