Jose Mourinho, in the market for up to three strikers for Chelsea in the closed season, has named Manchester City's out-of-favour goalscorer Edin Dzeko as his Premier League player of the season.

Mourinho is expected to wield the axe this summer – with Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto'o and Demba Ba all looking at a move away on either loan or permanent deals.

With Luis Suarez picking up the awards from both players and football writers for player of the year, Mourinho was asked who he would pick.

“Always from the champion, in every condition,” he said

“Always a player from the champion. So if the champion is Man City then I would say a Man City player - and if I had to choose one I’d choose Dzeko.

“Why? He was the third striker at the beginning of the season and was behind his manager’s first choices.

“When the team needed him because of (Sergio) Aguero's injuries or (Alvaro) Negredo’s lack of form and other important players.

“I think (David) Silva was injured and (Yaya) Toure was injured. I think he made the difference.

“He has 16 goals. 16 goals for the third striker is spectacular. If I would choose. He assists, he plays, he behaves. He’s fair, he doesn’t dive. He doesn’t try to put opponents in the stands with accumulation of cards.”