It was a case of better the devil you know for Nemanja Matic after he signed for a Jose Mourinho team for the third time this week.
The Serbian midfielder joined Serie A side Roma on a free transfer on Tuesday after his contract expired at Manchester United this summer.
That move marks the third time Matic has linked up with Mourinho – despite the 33-year-old midfielder admitting it’s ‘not always easy’ working with the ‘Special One’.
But the Portuguese boss does have history signing certain trusted players and has be known to bring several reliable stars to multiple clubs he has managed.
African strikers Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o are among those brought in more than once, with left back Nuno Valente perhaps a surprise name on the list of Mourinho’s trusted lieutenants.
So, Sportsmail looks at which other players Mourinho has signed twice or more – and judges just how they got on.
Nemanja Matic (right) completed a free transfer to Roma from Manchester United on Tuesday
It marks the third time the Serbian midfielder has been signed by boss Jose Mourinho (right)
Sportsmail looks at which other players Mourinho has signed twice or more, such as Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba (right) – and assesses just how they got on under his management
Didier Drogba – Chelsea and… Chelsea
One of Mourinho’s very first signings as Chelsea manager was Drogba, who had scored 32 goals in 55 appearances for Marseille the season before his £24million switch.
He got off to a slow start at Stamford Bridge, with Blues fans even subjecting him to jeers in his debut season over perceived play-acting, but over the next two seasons the Ivorian powerhouse came into his own.
After helping Mourinho’s men claim back-to-back Premier League titles, Drogba netted 33 goals in all competitions as they narrowly missed out on a third crown in 2006-07, three of which came in FA Cup and League Cup final wins over Manchester United and Arsenal.
Mourinho left Chelsea later that year and his beloved centre-forward stayed until 2012, only for Mourinho to return for a second stint in charge one year later.
One of his very first moves was to re-sign a 36-year-old Drogba on a free transfer, with the pair clinching another title together before he departed for a second time.
Drogba arrived from Marseille for £24million an unknown in English football but left a legend
Samuel Eto’o – Inter Milan and Chelsea
One of Mourinho’s greatest pieces of business came when he…