• Premier League

Carragher: Torres' Chelsea career over

ESPN staff
August 27, 2013
Fernando Torres cut a frustrated figure at Old Trafford, earning a booking after coming off the bench © Getty Images
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Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes Fernando Torres' career at Chelsea is rapidly coming to an end.

Torres was not called upon to start the 0-0 draw against Manchester United on Monday as Jose Mourinho sent out his side without a recognised striker.

However, Torres did make his bow midway through the second-half, though he could not find a winner.

But Carragher, now a Sky Sports expert, believes the snub from Mourinho indicates Torres' career with Chelsea is all but over.

"I'm wondering if Mourinho was sending a message to the owner in the stands," Carragher said.

"We all know he wants Rooney, that's obvious. He's basically saying that his strikers aren't good enough; that's what he's telling the world out there.

"You could say it's probably the end at Chelsea [for Torres]. I didn't think he was going to have too great a time under Mourinho.

"As soon as Jose came in his quotes were quite negative about Torres. He started him in the first game against Hull and he was poor. I don't think he got stripped for the second game against Villa."

And Carragher, who played with Torres during his successful years at Liverpool, believes fans will never again see the player who launched himself upon the Premier League as a feared and unstoppable striker.

"I've played with Torres at Old Trafford and he tortured Nemanja Vidic, he totally took him to the cleaners on this pitch in 2009," Carragher said. "You wouldn't have swapped him for anyone.

"But now he can't even get on the pitch ahead of André Schürrle, who is only a winger. For me, in terms of an individual player, I don't think we'll ever see Torres come back to being the player we saw a few years ago against Vidic at Old Trafford."

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