Claudio Ranieri has revealed that Roman Abramovich backed Chelsea's £118million summer transfer splurge with a smile on his face.

The Russian billionaire occasionally asked for an explanation before unzipping his wallet. But Ranieri insists Abramovich never once doubted his club manager's judgement.

If the Italian was convinced he had picked the right target, Abramovich happily coughed up.

Ranieri revealed: "Mr Abramovich asked me questions about certain players.

"I would reply that if I could get this particular player, he would be especially useful to the team because he could do this or that or something extra besides.

"For example, I explained to Mr Abramovich we needed a new striker with a particular set of characteristics as we didn't have that type of striker before.

"He is interested in this type of thing and seemed very happy with my explanations.

"He never once tried to change my mind about any of the players we have brought in. Never.

"The only thing he wanted to know above all was whether I was convinced in my own mind that this would be the right man to buy.

"He would say 'Are you sure?'. I would say 'Yes.' And that was it.

"I believe he is genuinely happy to have given me the players I wanted.

"But he will be even happier if we win something.

"I believe he has fallen in love with football and now he wants to know everything about it.

"He has asked me questions that show he is already very competent in his knowledge.

"So it would be wrong to suggest I am teaching and he is learning, because it isn't like that. Our conversations are just natural exchanges."

These 'natural exchanges' have helped to make history in the football transfer market, as Ranieri tries to kill off any lingering rumours that England coach Sven Goran Eriksson is the man really pulling the strings behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge.

And, despite the endless multi-million pound deals for current and future stars, Ranieri insists his life will not seem so very different now the transfer window has closed. He explained: "I was always able to concentrate on the football.

"Once I decided who we needed to buy, it was over to the club to try to get him.

"I was never involved in the financial negotiations and I must thank Chelsea for the truly professional way they went about their business.

"When you consider that all the new Chelsea players have already found homes, you start to understand just how quickly and efficiently the club has been working.

"It is important for players to feel peace of mind in their private lives, even if we in football are all citizens of the world and used to moving around.

"Yet I don't feel any relief that the transfer window has closed.

"It won't change my routine because I have been coaching out on the training ground through all of this.

"Admittedly, there won't be any more calls from cousins in Italy telling me who I'm supposed to have signed from over there.

"Otherwise, though, it will be the same and I'll still be concentrating on trying to win just like the players."