Chelsea Manager Jose Mourinho is in the middle of yet another controversy this time referring to his lead striker Samuel Eto, as being possibly an age cheat.

The Portuguese is livid with the French press for bringing to the public domain what he claims to be a purely private conversation.

Mourinho is reported to have said in a conversation that Eto'o, his lead striker, may well be 35, even though he is officially known to be 32.

He was asked about his striking options, and Portuguese reportedly said that he has Samuel Eto'o who is 32 but may well be 35.

The conversation was recorded without his knowledge and the content has become the subject of yet another controversy.

In an interview on BBC Mourinho condemned in no uncertain terms the publication of what he insisted was a private conversation.

When asked about how Samuel Eto'o will feel about his comment, Mourinho said the Cameroonian should discount it because it was a joke adding, he Samuel Eto'o is reported to have said elsewhere that he would never in his life play for Jose Mourinho only to turn around a year later to play for him at Inter Milan and then at Chelsea.

Mourinho is no stranger to controversy. He had only a week earlier been embroiled in war of words with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger describing him as a "specialist in failure."

Wenger is reported to have said that Mourinho was playing down Chelsea's league chances because he was afraid to fail.