Torres needed change: Mourinho

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho insists star striker Fernando Torres was in need of a change of club, but admits that he would have preferred if he moved to Inter Milan instead of rivals AC Milan.

The Spanish international moved to the Serie A side on a two-year long loan spell from the Stamford Bridge outfit this summer.

The 30-year old had joined the Blues for a reported transfer fee of £50 million from fellow Premier League club Liverpool in January 2011, but even after three-and-half seasons with the Fulham based side, Torres failed to make his mark, scoring on just 20 occasions in his 110 league appearances.

And given the struggling times that the former Atletico Madrid player faced with Chelsea, Mourinho feels he needed to try things out in a new environment, but regrets the player not joining his former club.

“I'm an Interista and I would have preferred if he'd gone to Inter”, the Portuguese manager was quoted as saying by ITV.

“However, I hope that he does equally well at Milan. What I can say about Fernando is that as a person and a professional, there is nothing to doubt about him.

“He's a fantastic boy and a great professional. However, he needed a change of scenery”, the 51-year-old added.