Chelsea Football Club announced today that striker Didier Drogba would return to the club on a one-year contract. He left the club a legend, providing fans with memories they will never forget after the dramatic Champions League winning penalty he scored in May 2012. His return will be greeted by fans who are likely to be delighted at the return of a hero in a summer which has seen farewells to two of their most crucial players of the past decade - Frank Lampard and Ashely Cole.
However, the return of Drogba will raise further question marks over the futures of Fernando Torres and Romelu Lukaku.
Firstly, I would like to point out that I believe this is a good move for Chelsea and for Drogba himself. He brings a wealth of experience to the team, has a strong character and is a natural winner. For Didier, it is an opportunity to have one last go at the Premier League and to return to a club which he himself has claimed feels like home. It is a move which for the club, offers relatively minimal risk. It is a one-year contract and rumors suggest they may be a potential coaching role at the club from next season for Drogba. Mourinho also will be pleased with the move as he feels he can count on Drogba when it matters, and Drogba is a player who understands how Mourinho operates and he can help get the manager's ideas over to the side. But, as stated previously, this move will surely mean an end to the Chelsea careers of either Torres or Lukaku.
Doubts have existed over both strikers for some time now and the arrival of Diego Costa earlier in the summer from Atletico Madrid for £32million only served to fuel suggestions that there would be a shake-up of attacking options at the club this summer. Demba Ba has already moved on to Besiktas for £8million and the arrival of Drogba must move either Torres or Lukaku closer to the exit door. Torres has been linked with a move away from the club for many months now with a loan move to Inter Milan or a return to his beloved Atletico Madrid on the horizon. In relation to Lukaku, Chelsea know they have many suitors with Everton keen to have him back after his highly successful loan spell last season and Wolfsburg also believed to be linked to a £20million move for the striker.
I believe that most Chelsea fans would agree that of the two strikers, Torres is the one which makes most sense to offload. The fans have been incredibly patient with him and have always supported him during his difficult times as he has failed to live up to his reputation and price tag after his £50million move from Liverpool. But now surely it is time that he must move on - both for the club, but also for his own benefit. He is also now 30 and the club may take the view that the time is right for him to move on and rebuild himself at a new club.
However, questions have existed all last season over the relationship between Jose Mourinho and Lukaku. Rumors from various newspapers and online media sources have suggested that Mourinho doesn't fancy him in his team, however there is very few facts to really substantiate that opinion.
Therefore, the question exists as to how Chelsea will approach the issue and who they would prefer to sell. By selling Torres, the club can not only clear high wages off the books but also offer Lukaku the chance to develop and gain experience in the first team learning for a season training side by side with his idol Drogba.
However, as a club Chelsea are now taking the Financial Fair Play (FFP) ruling seriously and are trying to make decisions which take into account the business side of the club along with the playing side. With this in mind, Mourinho may decide to cash in on Lukaku who could easily cost any club over the £20million mark. This would be substantially more than they could ever hope to receive for an ageing, under performing Torres.
Essentially, this is a decision to be made by Jose Mourinho and he must ask himself tow key questions: Does he believe he can get Torres back to any kind of form? (Probably Not), and does he view Romelu Lukaku as a player who will be a key part of his team in the coming years?
My opinion is that if the choice has to be made, it must be Torres that is sold. Lukaku has proven during his loan spells at West Brom and Everton that he is ready for a chance, an opportunity to show what he can do at Chelsea and time has ran out on Torres. It has been sad to see how bereft of confidence he has become and how completely out of form he is that perhaps a new club and new surroundings can reignite him.
