Speaking ahead of his side’s match against Hull City on Saturday, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has ruled out a possible return to Stamford Bridge for out of form striker Fernando Torres.
Torres was sent to AC Milan on a two-season loan this summer and has only scored once in seven starts for the Serie A club.
Reports emanating from Italy have claimed that Milan officials were seeking to send the Spanish striker back to Chelsea during the upcoming January transfer window. It is understood that the player is not rated by manager Filippo “Pippo” Inzahgi and is not part of the Italian’s future plans.
But Mourinho has stated that it would be “impossible” for Torres to rejoin the London club.
“It’s impossible, it’s not going to happen,” the Chelsea boss proclaimed on Friday afternoon. “He’s on loan at Milan for the next two seasons and we don’t have any space in the team or in the lists of players for the league or the Champions League.”
Mourinho also confirmed that goalkeeper Petr Cech will make his first Premier League start of the season against Hull at Stamford Bridge after Thibaut Courtois picked up a minor groin injury in training. The manager downplayed the significance of Cech returning to the Chelsea starting eleven.
“It’s a minor problem for Thibaut,” Mourinho revealed. “I don’t think it’s important [for Cech to restake his claim for a first-team place]. It’s just consequence of being an important player in the squad who had our confidence even with Courtois in conditions to play. We played Petr in three Champions League matches and every game in the Capital One Cup, and we know what we have.”
“He doesn’t need to prove anything to me, the club, to his teammates or to the supporters. He has absolutely nothing to prove. It’s just an easy simple situation for him, go and play, which is what he wants to do and has done throughout his career.”
Programming note: Chelsea vs. Hull City will be shown LIVE on NBC Sports Network, mun2 and NBC Sports Live Extra at 10:00am EST on Saturday.
