London - It seems as if Fernando Torres cannot find breathing room from the bad press he has been receiving following his record transfer from Liverpool to Chelsea in January.

According to British tabloid The Daily Star’s website, former Chelsea defender and World Cup winner, Frank Leboeuf says the Spanish striker is ‘not good enough’ for Chelsea.

“Nowadays we make somebody a star because they play well for six months,” he said.

“I think the problem is that we make somebody into a star who doesn’t deserve to be called a star. You have to show for three or four years at the top level that you are a star. Didier Drogba is a star, John Terry is a star.

"They’ve been playing for years at the highest level. Torres was at home when he was at Atletico Madrid and he did well at the start at Liverpool.

“So is he a star? I don’t know . . . and if Torres is not a star, maybe Chelsea paid too much for him and he’s not good enough for them. So far that’s what it is,” barked Leboeuf.

Leboeuf did not stop there, he alluded to the fact that Torres’ ride at Chelsea would not be as easy as it once was at his previous clubs.

“This is the first time he finds himself at a club where he is not the main player. At Liverpool they were playing for him, at Atletico Madrid as well. Chelsea don’t. They’re not playing for him. He has to find his space. Maybe he struggles with that. There are other players there and they are all stars.”

Torres has only managed to score a solitary goal for the Blues in 23 appearances, 15 goals fewer than he scored in the same time for both Liverpool and Atletico Madrid. 

He was left out of the squad for their previous EPL outing against Sunderland, with Daniel Sturridge being selected above him, despite the absence of the talismanic Drogba.

Leboeuf says that Torres’ inability to reproduce the form which made him the hottest property at one stage in his career can be attributed to the striker’s mental strength - or lack thereof.

“That’s the difference between a big player and an average player. It’s all up there. If you’re not hungry and angry, you’re done.”