English FA Premiership: Jose Mourinho is adamant there will be no additions to Chelsea's squad after they embark for their pre-season tour to the United States on Wednesday.

The deadline places pressure on the Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon to finalise negotiations with the Marseille striker Didier Drogba and the Portugal midfielder Tiago within the next four days. The latter deal would appear near completion after Benfica dropped their asking price to around 12 million and the player flew to London yesterday. However, the acquisition of Drogba may be more pressing given the void left by Hernan Crespo's departure to Milan.

"USA will be the first meeting we will have with everyone together and I want to say to them: 'This is our squad, this is the squad we have worked a lot to build, this is the squad that I chose and this is the squad that I want to go until the end of the season'," said Mourinho. "So, if we go to the States on Wednesday, then I want to have my squad complete by Wednesday for sure."

It is difficult to believe Mourinho would not extend his deadline if talks with Drogba are not concluded by the middle of next week. Chelsea, having off-loaded Crespo and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, have Mateja Kezman, who will make his debut at Oxford this afternoon, as the only natural goalscorer ahead of Eidur Gudjohnsen.

The speed with which Mourinho dealt with Crespo's apparent unhappiness in England is a measure of the importance he attributes to commitment.

"Football quality does not impress me so much because I already expect good things from them," said Mourinho. "But when I see people with motivation and desire to work and happiness in their work and forgetting that the pre-season is always difficult, that's what impresses me more."

It is, therefore, not surprising that Joe Cole's decision to report back for pre-season five days early met with approval.

"It is not normal when a player on holiday wants to come and train," said Mourinho. "I can understand that he didn't come tired from the European Championship because he didn't have a chance to play but, even with this, it is a good motivation for me to receive a player who has sufficient motivation to leave his holidays early to go to work."

Cole has also been impressed with Mourinho. Prior to Euro 2004 the former Porto manager assured Cole he would not be seeking to sign another playmaker. He has remained true to his word.

"Joe knows now that I trust him," said Mourinho. "I told him that I liked his qualities, I trust his football and I don't need to buy other players in his position."

Cole returned the praise. "It's always nice to have a manager that trusts you and I just want to repay him with some good performances," he said.