Chelsea bossJose Mourinho is confident his assistant Rui Faria can make the move into management.

Faria has been alongside Mourinho at FC Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid for near-on 15 years and is now ready to step out on his own if he so desires according to the 'Special One'.

Mourinho spoke of Faria's coaching and man-management ability in an interview with BT Sport.

"I don't like the word disciples because I don't want to put all of them in the same dimension. If one day I have to speak about disciples, the real one is the one who has been with me since 2000," said the three-time Premier League and two-time Champions League winner.

"The one who has more potential than any other one. The one that if he wants to become a manager tomorrow, he's more than ready to do it at the highest level. But he's the one that simply is enjoying so much to be what he is.

"If one day I have to choose my successor, if you want to use that word, the one that I really feel thinks like me, is adapted to my way of leading and way of coaching.

"He is the one with more similarities with me, even with some traces of personality. It's my assistant Rui Faria."