Didier Drogba's exit can allow Fernando Torres to prosper at Chelsea, Kerry Dixon told Sky Sports News.
Torres can benefit from exit of 'one-off' Drogba, says Kerry
Kerry Dixon told
Sky Sports News that Didier Drogba's departure could kick-start Fernando Torres' Chelsea career.
Drogba, who fired the Londoners to their maiden Champions League title on Saturday night, has announced that he will be bringing his eight-year stay at Stamford Bridge to an end this summer.
Spanish striker Torres has struggled to dislodge the Ivorian from Chelsea's central striking berth since he joined from Liverpool in January 2011 and
recently voiced his displeasure at his current role during an interview with Sky Sports' Guillem Balague.
But Chelsea legend Dixon says that the 28-year-old can now emerge out of Drogba's shadow and rekindle some of the form that convinced Roman Abramovich to fork out £50million for him.
Reflecting on Drogba's departure, Dixon said: "It is going to be a blow but the club will move on. Plenty of good players in Chelsea's history have left the club.
"People will be wondering how they replace Didier and you are not going to be able to replace Drogba's style; he is a one-off in what he does.
"Chelsea might have to adjust their style and if they do, they will be looking to get the best out of Fernando Torres, and hope that his form improves enough to bring them the same sort of success that Drogba's form has brought them at the back-end of this season.
"However, I also think Chelsea will be active in the transfer market and they will be competing at the top level again next season."
Importance
Drogba, who joined the Blues from Marseille for £24million in 2004, netted Chelsea's equaliser against Bayern Munich at the weekend, taking his tally of goals in major finals for the club to nine in nine games.
Dixon labelled the 34-year-old as a "man for the big occasion" and says that he will go down in history as one of the Londoners' finest imports.
"Didier and the club have decided that [he will leave] and it is a very sad day for Chelsea," said the former Stamford Bridge favourite. "He has been as the man for the big occasion.
"People will look at the amount goals he has scored but it is also the importance of the goals he has scored in the key competitions.
"Drogba has never let them down and his part in the history of the football club will never be forgotten.
"Didier is seeking a new challenge, perhaps in China, but I still think he has got big games in him, whether he has got 40-50 game seasons in him I don't know.
"But I still think that if he was used sparingly at one of the higher European clubs than he has a lot to offer."
Click here for ex-Chelsea defender Ken Monkou's view on Drogba.
