Guardian.co.uk:

Jose Mourinho feels Internazionale let him down over the January transfer of Ricardo Quaresma to his former club Chelsea. The Inter manager strongly opposed the loan deal and at the time was trying to set up an alternative move that would have brought David Bentley to Milan in exchange for Quaresma.

Having been marginalised by Harry Redknapp, the Tottenham Hotspur manager, Bentley made it clear he was keen to join the Serie A champions. However, Inter refused to sanction the transfer, preferring to let Quaresma leave for Chelsea without getting any player in return – a decision that Mourinho believes weakened his hand for a Champions League campaign that ended on Wednesday night with defeat at Manchester United.

Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman, played a significant role in the breakdown of the Quaresma-Bentley swap deal. The move was proposed by Mourinho, who first contacted Redknapp to offer the Portugal international in exchange for central midfielder Jermaine Jenas. Redknapp declared Jenas unavailable, but eager to add a natural left winger to his squad, offered Bentley instead. Levy then slowed down the process by demanding cash for a player signed for an initial £15m from Blackburn in July.

Levy's brinkmanship allowed Quaresma's agent, Jorge Mendes, time to alert Chelsea to his client's availability and an alternative deal was proposed. Although Chelsea's offer was only for a half-season loan with a summer option to buy, the Inter board felt more comfortable about letting their player depart for another Champions League club, leaving Mourinho without any reinforcements for the competition's knockout stage and the second half of Inter's league campaign.

Guus Hiddink, Chelsea's temporary manger, has admitted he wanted to sign Robinho when he was coach of PSV Eindhoven, having watched him several times in Brazil. The 25-year-old was a target of Chelsea during the summer before he chose Manchester City. Hiddink also talked glowingly of Robinho's ability, but suggested that by moving to Eastlands he had put money before his development .

"Players must choose [the best option] for their career," he said. "And I think agents and managers have the responsibility to pick out a good club, not always the first place where the money is.

"Robinho is a very attractive player. As a matter of fact I had the plan at PSV to sign him. I met him in Brazil and we were close. I saw him play several times. At the last moment in came Real Madrid and then you are outplayed, of course.