Jose Mourinho says that he will look to bring in a new striker for Chelsea this summer, and suggests that a number of Stamford Bridge forwards could leave the club in the close season.
Samuel Eto’o, Fernando Torres and Demba Ba have managed just 15 Premier
League goals between them, only one more than the club’s top scorer
Eden Hazard.
Mourinho claimed his side cannot win the title after 1-0 defeats at Aston Villa and Crystal Palace
let Liverpool grab top spot this weekend, and the Portuguese boss
believes his current striking options are simply not good enough to
become champions.
"I don't think it's the moment to speak about next season and the
market but it's clear to everybody that Chelsea next year wants to bring
in a striker," said Mourinho.
"What's the future for the other strikers? The ones who are staying are competing with the striker we are bringing [in].
"And normally, at the end of the season, players that are not playing a
lot or players who are not happy may prefer a change. That is also part
of the market."
Mourinho revealed that he is happy with the core of his defence -- with
the Stamford Bridge side conceding just 24 goals in 42 games -- but
will move swiftly this summer to bolster his options up front.
"We want to improve the team and the players and make some surgical movements in the transfer window," he continued.
"It's also clear that we want to improve our players. I can't and I
don't need to improve [Branislav] Ivanovic, [Gary] Cahill, John Terry.
"There are other guys I need to improve. I think we are doing that step by step, but it's not enough to be champions."
Chelsea trail league leaders Liverpool by a point with eight games left
of the season, although Manchester City will be firm favourites should
they win their two games in hand.
