The days when Chelsea’s £50m striker laid waste to Premier League defences look to be behind him

It is never easy watching a top footballer stray dangerously close to the point when his audience has to accept, however much we might wish to be more generous, there is a real possibility that we might be permanently talking about his gifts in the past tense.

When that player is Fernando Torres and the memories are still so vivid of a man who made a case to be recognised as the outstanding striker on the planet, the question it raises is almost unnerving. When does a chronic loss of form and self-belief, now it has transcended so far beyond an innocent blip, have to be considered as something far more serious, and when do we reach the point when we have to acknowledge there might not be any form of antidote?

The question is not asked lightly when Torres, at 27, is still short of the years when decline ordinarily sets in. It doesn’t take too much effort to recall those days when he could torment the most accomplished defences and, on one particularly devastating afternoon at Old Trafford, chase down a long kick and destroy Nemanja Vidic in a way that has never happened before or

• Manager says ’sure we can turn round’ striker’s confidence
• Frank Lampard’s agent has contacted club about new deal

André Villas-Boas has said he is prepared to wait another year for Fernando Torres to rediscover his form if required, as the first anniversary of the 27-year-old’s so far unsuccessful £50m transfer from Liverpool approaches.

At the end of January Torres enters the second year of his Chelsea career. The striker has only three goals in 25 Premier League appearances. But despite this and the Spaniard not having started for the club since 1 November in the 1-1 draw at Genk in the Champions League, Villas-Boas insisted that if Torres continued to underperform until January 2013 he would still retain faith in the Spaniard.

Asked if Chelsea could afford another year of indifferent form the Portuguese said: “I think so. This is a talent that is never in doubt but it is related to motivation [confidence]. So we have to be very patient and I’m sure we can turn this around. The player who wears the No9 lives for goals. Strikers are the most selfish people in the world and they are rightly so because they put the ball in the net.

“We have to continue to push. That’s one of the prerogatives of the manager, to get the best out of everyone.”

Didier Drogba, who is the first-choice striker in Villas-Boas’s preferred 4-3-3 formation, is due to play for Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations in late January and early February. This may allow Torres a run of games to re-establish form and confidence, and the manager said he is performing well in training.

“I think he is ready mentally,” Villas-Boas said. “Everybody wants to be involved more time. Fernando is pushing for a place with Didier – he is on a good run at the moment. We always count on our players and are sure that when Fernando is involved he will respond. He will come back. I am confident of that.”

Villas-Boas also confirmed that Torres is not for sale following reports that Chelsea would listen to offers. “It’s not true, I’m sorry. He is not available at any price. Now, or in the summer.”

The manager also said Frank Lampard’s agent has contacted the club regarding the possibility of a new deal for the 33-year-old. The midfielder has 18 months left on his current deal and Lampard said this week that he wished to remain until this finishes when he will be 35. But despite no longer being an automatic choice, Lampard believes he can continue at Chelsea beyond 2013.

Asked about the possibility of an extension, Villas-Boas said that the player’s representative had been in touch with Ron Gourlay, the Chelsea chief executive. “Ron Gourlay told me that [the agent] Steve Kutner contacted him recently,” he said. “I’m not sure of the situation. And I think we haven’t decided yet what to do.”

Regarding Lampard, who earns around £160,000 a week, Villas-Boas insisted that there will be no special allowance made for him despite his status as one of the senior players. He said: “Frank is not the only one. People are making great efforts to get into the Chelsea squad, and Frank is one of the top five used players. Everyone wants to be involved in every game but sometimes it is not possible. I treat everybody equally. It’s pretty clear everybody wants to play in every single game. You will find it from Frank but you will find it from [Florent] Malouda, [Salomon] Kalou and Paulo [Ferreira].

“There is no hiding that Lamps represents the best in the history of the club. He and JT [John Terry], are near to 600 or 550 appearances. These are players of a massive magnitude for the club and represent Chelsea’s success, but in our opinion every player must be treated equally and we try to be as fair and coherent as possible.

“Sometimes we make decisions that cannot please everybody, because it’s a 24-man squad. That is the reality of football and there are no explanations.”

Chelsea also confirmed that Oriol Romeu can be bought back by Barcelona only should the west London club wish.

Fernando TorresChelseaAndré Villas-BoasFrank LampardJamie Jacksonguardian.co.uk