Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has sent his star players a warning that they could be dropped for kids if they do not improve upcoming results, according to reports from the Mirror.

The Blues have started their title-defending campaign in miserable fashion, only accumulating 8 points from their opening seven games and sit 14^th on the table.

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And ahead of his return to former club Porto where he guided the Portuguese side to Champions League glory back in 2004, Mourinho has warned his stars they could be axed and replaced with his younger players.

Mourinho said: “If the season goes in one direction, that it becomes closed and we can’t win [trophies], I will go just with the kids.

"It makes no sense, when you have nothing to win, to play the older players.

"I’ll play the players we’re waiting for instead. I can arrive in a moment where I will look to the kids and say, ‘Let’s go. Non-stop.’ I am ruthless.

"But at the moment everything is open.

“It’s difficult to win the Premier League, but possible. It’s difficult to win the Champions League, but possible. It’s difficult to win the [domestic] cups, but possible.

“I explained to the players that when the situation is open I have to do both things: To try to prepare the kids for their future and at the same time to try to bring the best out of the other players — the players with more stability and experience.

“Our problem is we are not performing in a continuous way.

"We have no problems physically or tactically. It’s the same - as when we make changes they improve the team.

“Clearly it’s an attitude perspective of some individuals. And when you have individuals with that unstable attitude in terms of motivation, desire and commitment, you will pay.”

During the weekend, the champions lost two points against Newcastle United, only managing to draw 2-2 after initially going 2-0 down.

Mourinho’s return to the Stadio do Dragao will also see ‘the Special One’ meet Iker Casillas for the first time since their public bust-up back when the two were at Real Madrid.

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