Sell Drogba, boost Torres - Carlo

Chelsea spent a British transfer record sum to sign Torres from Liverpool 12 months ago, but the Spaniard has repaid the investment with only five goals.

Torres, who has not scored since mid-October, has struggled to form an effective partnership with Drogba when given the opportunity and, in recent weeks, Ancelotti's successor Andre Villas-Boas has been playing just one up front.

Drogba's departure for the African Cup of Nations has handed Torres a chance in the team, while the Ivory Coast ace's future at Stamford Bridge is uncertain.

The former Marseille forward is out of contract at the end of the season and Ancelotti believes letting Drogba go could provide the platform for Torres to thrive at Chelsea.

"I don't judge the work of a colleague," Ancelotti, who has since taken charge as Paris Saint-Germain coach and claims to have been offered Torres, told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"What I would say is training Chelsea, when the club is in the middle of a major generational change, is complicated.

"Take Torres and the crisis he has lived through there. I now know if you decide to invest strongly in him, you have to sell Drogba.

"Didier is like Filippo Inzaghi was at AC Milan. He simply devours any competition.

"It's not that he's evil - nor was Inzaghi - it's just the way they are."