Interim manager Rafael Benitez believes Demba Ba’s arrival at Chelsea will help make Fernando Torres a better player.
The Spain international had been considered a STG50 million ($A77 million) flop until a recent upturn in form, which coincided with the appointment of his former Liverpool mentor.
Torres was Chelsea’s first-choice striker for the first half of the campaign regardless of form, although Ba’s arrival threatens that role.
The 27-year-old scored twice on his Blues debut against Southampton on Saturday and Benitez believes the former Newcastle striker will be good for Torres.
“Ba coming will be better for Torres, 100 per cent,” Benitez said.
“Not many players play every game in a top side, as he has had to, and now it will be positive for both of them.
“They will be fitter, maybe they will score more goals because they will have more chances and will be in better positions.
“Every session I can see Fernando is training well and trying to improve. Even when he’s not scoring, he’s working hard and doing things for the team.
“We have tried to fix things to improve his strength, a specific program.
“He’s a bit quicker but the biggest problem was he was playing too many games. Especially against QPR, some players were a bit tired, had too much fatigue. But having both Torres and Ba means both can do well.”
And Benitez has also warned fans of changes to the squad, refusing to rule out the possibility that popular players could leave the club.
“I think it’s always easy to talk about the legends, and you have to have a lot of respect for them because what they’ve achieved for this club has been fantastic,” Benitez added.
“But you have to have new players – it could be English or foreign, it doesn’t matter – and carry on winning games.”