LONDON (AFP) -- Jose Mourinho said Friday he is considering "other options" in defense after being unable to prize Ashley Cole from Arsenal for what he considers a fair fee.

Mourinho is reported to have offered 16 million pounds (30 million dollars) for the 25-year-old England left back, but Arsenal want nearer to 25 million pounds from Chelsea.

Cole was conspicuous by his absence from the Arsenal team photocall on Thursday at the club's new Emirates Stadium.

But Mourinho insists the Premiership champions will not dip further into billionaire owner Roman Abramovich's pockets.

"Nothing has changed," Mourinho said Friday at a press conference ahead of the Community Shield against Liverpool, the traditional season curtain raiser which pits the league winners against the FA Cup winners. "He (Cole) is for sure an Arsenal player, and he is probably training with them. I cannot say more than that."

The situation was not desperate, Mourinho insisted.

I am looking first of all to what I have," he said. "I have (Wayne) Bridge, Paulo Ferreira, I have (Lassana) Diarra, if I need, (Michael) Essien if I need.

"They are not pure left-backs, but are people who can make a job for us," he said, hinting that he might look elsewhere for a new defender before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

"Outside Chelsea there are other countries, other championships and other options," Mourinho said. "We cannot arrive in the last day of August and be without what we feel we need to close our squad."