Jose Mourinho talks Fernando Torres and Chelsea’s failed Wayne Rooney bid

Jose Mourinho has explained why Chelsea failed to sign another striker following their failed bid for Manchester United talisman Wayne Rooney last summer.

The Blues were left frustrated in their pursuit of the Red Devils forward after David Moyes persisted with his stance that the 28-year-old was not for sale at any price.

Mourinho snapped up veteran Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o as a stop-gap solution to help unconvincing Blues duo Demba Ba and Fernando Torres with the work load up front.

We made a collective decision not to sign a striker and give all the trust to the strikers we have

Jose Mourinho

However, Chelsea have scored less goals than any other side in the top three (62 strikes in 32 top-flight games), leaving Liverpool and Manchester City as slight favourites in title race.

But the 51-year-old Blues manager backed the west London side’s decision to weigh up their options before making a move for a proven goal-scorer capable of firing Chelsea to silverware.

“The whole market is an old market. After that [summer] market was the winter market and we made a collective decision not to sign a striker and give all the trust to the strikers we have and not make a decision under pressure,” Mourinho said.

“Have a season to think, analyse, to choose well and make some contacts to get us in a position in the summer.”

Earlier in his media conference, Mourinho insisted that Torres does have a future at Chelsea despite the 30-year-old’s struggles in front of goal since joining the club, and particularly this season.

Whilst Mourinho does feel the Spain international has something to offer Chelsea, the Portuguese said it was unrealistic to expect Torres to rekindle his Liverpool form so late in his career.

“Since the beginning of the season we tried and we thought about the possibility of different qualities. Different strikers, different qualities,” Mourinho continued.

“Fernando is a player with a certain profile and we will always be the player of that profile. It is not at the age of 30 that he is going to add to the qualities that he has.

“He gives what he can and we respect that and I respect. That’s why he keeps playing and we believe that he still has something to give us.”