Salomon Kalou suggests Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo did not back him

Lille winger Salomon Kalou has suggested that he would have stayed at Chelsea if Robert Di Matteo had not been manager.

The 27-year-old, who was released by the Champions League winners in the summer, has insisted that he would still be a Blues player if Jose Mourinho had remained at the club.

"If Mourinho would have stayed at Chelsea I could have matched expectations, because what I need is a coach that is backing me 100%," Sky Sports News quotes Kalou as saying.

The Ivory Coast international spent six years at Stamford Bridge.