Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has insisted that he will not splash the cash in January in an effort to turn his side's ailing season around.

The Blues' title defence has so far been the worst in Premier League history, with Monday's 2-1 defeat to Leicester City leaving them just a point above the relegation zone after 16 games.

Roman Abramovich is thought to be eyeing up a renewed bid of around £45m for Everton's John Stones during the winter transfer window, but Mourinho does not believe that it would be "fair" for him to ask for further investment.

"My board, my club I don't think it's right I go to them and say these players are not good. We need to spend £50m or £100m or whatever, I don't think it's fair," he is quoted as saying by PA.

"We have these players and it is with these players that we have to go and the players that are not performing well must feel, for sure they must feel, attacked in their pride and their self-esteem."

Chelsea have made their worst start to a league season since 1978, when they went on to be relegated.