:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/32890431/489528177.0.jpg)
Well, here's one for ya:
Jose: 'Eto'o has finished his contract but I think Torres will be at Chelsea next season.' #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@chelseafc) May 11, 2014
That's the equivalent of José dropping a 50m-megaton hydrogen bomb on the Chelsea fan collective. Or is it a 100m-megaton one?
Reporter—"Is [Torres] in your plans for next season?" Mourinho—"Yes he is in my plans. He is a good player." (via Sky Sports) #CFC
— Chelsea Overload (@CFC_Overload) May 11, 2014
Jose—"[Torres] isn't the kind of player with half a chance he score a goal. He isn't the kind of guy thats going to score goals after goals"
— Chelsea Overload (@CFC_Overload) May 11, 2014
Jose on Torres—"The way he works...he's a player I like, he's a player the club respects & we're happy to have him next season." #CFC
— Chelsea Overload (@CFC_Overload) May 11, 2014
It's a big one, that is for sure.
A few things to keep in mind, if you are/were hoping that Fernando Torres would leave the club this summer:
- His contract is massive. Like 50m-megaton massive. Internazionale may be interested, Atlético Madrid may be interested, but there's no way either of those two teams could afford his wages. Not many teams in the world can, and those few who could, wouldn't touch him with seven layers of hazmat suits on.
- While José has criticized players in public before, he's not one to usually throw a player so specifically under the bus. Even if he wants Torres gone - and he most certainly wants drastic improvement in the striker corps - he's not going to come out and say anything to that effect.
- José's been wrong before. He thought we'd keep Lukaku this season, for example.
So, where does this leave us? Probably the same place as before. We know that (at least) one striker will come and (at least) one striker will go. Samuel Eto'o fit the latter part of that already.
Jose: 'The club will not run away from the responsibility of bringing in a couple of important players to help the team immediately.' #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@chelseafc) May 11, 2014
Torres is still Torres and will be forever Torres. It is our curse, it is our boon, it is our story. It is life, universe, and everything. (They key is not have him be anywhere near first-choice.)
