Latest Chelsea transfer news: Eto'o, or two-for-one Drogba versus Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres has been the demise of a couple of managers – not least someone of the class of Carlo Ancelotti.
The manager merry-go-round at Chelsea has had as much to do with the clubs failure to win certain trophies at certain times, as it has to do with the failure to revive Nando.

Now, Jose Mourinho gets his chance to succeed where the likes of Ancelotti, Di Matteo and Andre Villas-Boas faile – to turn Fernando Torres into the striking demon he once was, and the attacking force Roman Abramovich is convinced he can be.

The choice is one that ‘The Special One’ delights it.

Torres on one hand, and Demba Ba and Romelu Lukaku on the other hand.

Ba and Lukaku as a strike partnership might just banish the memories of Didier Drogba from the fans minds at Stamford Bridge.

Now that Wayne Rooney is unlikely to be coming, a two-headed strike force with a Drogba-esque height, strength and ability will certainly go some way towards Mourinho’s first trophy target – winning the Premier League.

Then there is all the talk about Samuel Eto'o. An Eto'o on the bench might well be a fail-safe for Torres really being beyind redemption, but will he have the speed and power of his youth?

Mourinho believes the title race will be more open than ever ahead of his long-awaited return in today’s season opener against Hull.

The Portuguese guided the Blues to successive league titles and his return has seen Chelsea installed by many as favourites to take the crown away from reigning champions Manchester United.

Yet while Mourinho, who quit Real Madrid at the end of last season, claims the contest will be more open than in recent years, he believes quality at the head of the table is not what it was.

"I believe the Premier League is stronger because there is a bigger number of teams who can fight for the title," he said.

"Probably stronger because there's more balance. But I think, a few years ago, the better teams were better."

"Maybe by December or January you will find somebody wasn't strong enough to be there fighting for the title. But at the beginning, I think six teams are there competing."

Mourinho admits he expects an emotional reunion with Chelsea's supporters and is planning to visit the stadium with his players 24 hours before kick-off.

Hull manager Steve Bruce is set to hand debuts to Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore, the midfielders signed from Tottenham this week.

Scotland goalkeeper Allan McGregor, defenders Curtis Davies and Maynor Figueroa and forward Danny Graham are all likely to make their first Premier League start for the Tigers, who earned automatic promotion last season from the Championship.

Hull have failed to win in their 19 visits to Chelsea, stretching back more than a century.

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