Mourinho Fires Fresh Jabs at Former Chelsea Strikers
Chelsea manager José Mourinho has reignited criticism of his former strikers, taking a pointed swipe at their underwhelming performances during the previous Premier League season.
Speaking to Portuguese daily Record, Mourinho praised current frontman Diego Costa for his explosive start to the campaign—while simultaneously highlighting the failings of Samuel Eto’o, Fernando Torres and Demba Ba, all of whom have since departed Stamford Bridge.
“Diego Costa has already scored more goals in five games than our strikers managed away from home throughout last season,” Mourinho remarked. “The first goal our forwards scored on the road didn’t come until January 1st. By the end of the campaign, they had only five goals away between them.”
The comments will come as no surprise to observers of Mourinho’s tenure at Chelsea, where his frustration with the club’s lack of a reliable goalscorer was evident. Despite the efforts of the midfield—most notably Eden Hazard and Oscar—Chelsea often lacked clinical finishing, a gap Costa has begun to fill since his summer move from Atlético Madrid.
Last season’s trio have since moved on: Eto’o joined Everton, Ba transferred to Turkish side Beşiktaş, and Torres departed on loan to AC Milan.
While Mourinho’s barbed remarks may cause a stir, he appeared far more serene when discussing his own situation at the club.
“Now, I’m truly the Happy One,” he said, referencing the moniker he gave himself on his return to Chelsea. “In the past, I always committed to projects, but I was thinking about the next challenge. This time, I don’t want to leave. I feel settled, and I want to stay for the long term.”
Mourinho’s side made a strong start to the Premier League season, with Costa quickly becoming a focal point of Chelsea’s attacking play. The Spanish international’s physical presence and finishing ability have given the Blues a sharper edge up front—something Mourinho felt was missing in the previous campaign.
With Chelsea pushing for domestic and European honours, Mourinho’s satisfaction with his current squad is evident. But for his former strikers, the message is clear: their performances didn’t meet his expectations, and he is not shying away from saying so.
