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Striker Fernando Torres has been described as ­“so-so” by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

He is convinced that owner Roman Abramovich will let him rule on whether or not Torres has a future at Stamford Bridge.

And Mourinho has rejected ­suggestions that Abramovich forced Chelsea’s last big transfer flop, Andriy Shevchenko, on him during the Portuguese’s first spell at the club.

“Torres so far is so-so,” said Mourinho. ­“Somebody could expect more because of his potential, because of what he did before. But not so bad as people sometimes try to say.

“There is a balance. Normally, the tendency is to say it was a big mistake. It was a big mistake because it didn’t work.

“Shevchenko? It’s not true the owner forced him on me.

(Image: Getty)

“Never, never during my time did the owner interfere in the basic things of the manager – training sessions, team selection, the profile of player I want to bring. Do you want to know the truth about Shevchenko? I hope the board is not upset with me. We wanted to buy Samuel Eto’o, he was our target. We wanted Eto’o and the owner was more than ready to do ­everything to bring Eto’o here.

“He was the player I wanted. Why? Because Eto’o was the only player I could play with Didier Drogba, changing the system for two strikers.

“But he was also ready to play with Drogba with the system we had at the time, with three ­attacking players with Eto’o ­coming from the sides. I did the same with him at Inter Milan. We wanted Eto’o and the boss did everything to bring Eto’o and Peter Kenyon did everything.

“In the end, Barcelona said, ‘We don’t sell, forget it, forget it. Not any price’. The owner did everything to get him, but it was not possible.

“After that, we went to other options and got to Shevchenko. I was happy with him.

“Even with the top dogs – when you buy for £30m, £40m, £50m, or £60m – sometimes it doesn’t work. It doesn’t mean you or the club made a big mistake. It just doesn’t work.”

Fergie told me of retirement plans long ago, Jose says

(Image: Getty)

Jose Mourinho has revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson confided in him over his Manchester United retirement.

But Mourinho insists he was never in the running to succeed Fergie at Old Trafford because he had already told the Scotsman he was ­coming back to Chelsea.

Mourinho said: “I knew Sir Alex was retiring many months ago. Why? Because we are friends. So if I am his friend to know he is ­going to retire, he is also my friend to know that the club I want to coach in England is Chelsea.

“Of course, I told him that. I told him I want to come to Chelsea. I would turn down everyone in the world for Chelsea.”