Fernando Torres may have had a better season for Chelsea than his previous campaigns, but reportedly, the permanent manager for next season – Jose Mourinho does not believe the striker will have any part to play in his plans for the club.
Torres has been subject to enormous amount of criticism from fans and experts all around the world, after the striker has had a major dip in form over the recent years. In the past, the former Atletico Madrid player has been an integral part of the setup for the Spain national side, and was hence signed up by former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez in 2007 for a fee in the region of £18 million.
The 29-year old was a star performer for Liverpool over the years, and saw the back of the net 65 times in five years out of his six-year contract. He made 102 total appearances for Liverpool, and was one of the most lethal strikers in the world, nevermind the Barclays Premier League. His time at Merseyside had built quite a reputation for Torres, and Liverpool slapped a £50 million price-tag on him for any interested clubs.
Then came Roman Abramovich, who was ready to splash out £50 million to sign the renowned striker. Torres became the most expensive player in Chelsea’s history, and the Spaniard had to live with the high expectations that came along with the signing.
His first year at Chelsea was poor, and Torres managed to score just one goal in 14 appearances for the club, after his winter move from Liverpool. The next season, i.e. the 2011/2012 term, saw Torres struggle for form again, and here is where the striker had the weight of the world on his shoulders, given the magnitude of transfer fees involved. He scored a mere 6 goals in 32 Premier League appearances.
The current campaign has also seen Torres struggle with league form, having scored 8 goals in 36 appearances. Metro reveals that despite scoring 15 additional goals in other competitions, Mourinho seems to be convinced that Torres would not be a part of the squad next season.
Reportedly, Chelsea would be ready to accept offers in the range of £20-30 million in the summer for Torres but it will be interesting to see if any other clubs see his value that high.