Could Edinson Cavani and Fernando Torres Play in the Same Chelsea Team?

Let's rewind a little, three years to be exact. Go down to Anfield, and you'll quickly discover that Fernando Torres was in the form of his life playing for Liverpool.

Not one person could predict that he would leave Liverpool soon after that, and especially not for rivals Chelsea.

But that's what happened in January 2011, and the £50 million striker has experienced quite a dip in form since moving to Stamford Bridge, with a barrage of criticism arriving shortly after.

However, his impressive haul of 22 goals this season has excelled his previous totals of just the one in the 2010-11 season and 11 in the 2011-12 campaign, and the signs show that Torres is gradually returning to his former self.

And the Spaniard has reinvented himself at Chelsea, becoming more of a team member and laying on eight goals for his teammates this season. In addition, it's clear that the extra work in training has paid off, with Torres regaining the extra yard of pace that makes him such a danger in attack.

That being said, playing as the lone striker seems to be a more perfect fit for the Spain international. The idea of trying to play with another striker is not something that suits the 29-year-old's style of play nowadays, and he is seemingly thriving in the current system.

The setup at Chelsea sees Eden Hazard on the left-hand side and Oscar on the right, with the main playmaker, Juan Mata, slipping just in behind the striker as a trequartista, supplying through balls to his compatriot.

This has been the same formation that Chelsea have used for the past couple of years, and there is no suggestion that if Jose Mourinho returns to take the helm, the Blues would seek to alter their strategy. After all, the Portuguese tactician uses a similar 4-2-3-1 tactic at Real Madrid, and 4-3-3 when he was at Chelsea, so he is unlikely to switch now to 4-4-2 to accommodate one player.

But with the West London club's interest in Edinson Cavani gathering pace, according to The Sun (h/t Fox Sports), there could be an opportunity to revert back to the 4-3-3 setup under Mourinho should the Uruguayan opt to move to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Cavani is a pacey and powerful striker, but during his early days in his career at Palermo, he was used sparingly as a winger, with his manager not aware of his lethal finishing as the central striker. Either cutting in from the left or right wing, he used his agility to get past his opponents, but his goalscoring record was affected by being so far away from goal.

However, he benefited from Amauri's departure to Juventus in 2008, moving into the middle and forming an excellent partnership with Fabrizio Miccoli as a result. It showed that he could be as lethal with another striker, but crucially, in the 4-4-2 formation.

At Napoli he has played alongside forwards such as Lorenzo Insigne and Ezequiel Lavezzi, who are predominantly wingers, and this suggests his preference is to be the main figurehead of the attack.

His most impressive tally of 78 goals in 104 Serie A appearances shows just how consistent and complete he is as a striker, and even despite the £53 million price tag placed on him by president Aurelio De Laurentiis, according to the Mirror, the outlay would prove to be money well spent.

Torres also had experience of playing with other strikers at Liverpool, with Robbie Keane and Peter Crouch just some of a handful of strikers. Eventually, though, none could outscore the former Atletico Madrid forward and were dropped as a result.

It's not inconceivable to think that Torres and Cavani could play together, though. In the 4-3-3 setup, Hazard would retain his place on the left-hand side of attack, while Torres would be the main target in the centre. Cavani could start out on the right and help out in the centre by cutting in, although this could upset the balance of the formation.

There can be no doubt that he would put in the work rate, but it could limit his attacking influence. It may not be the best method of utilising Cavani's ability, but one that could work nonetheless. However, if Chelsea's new coach wants to keep both Torres and his new striker partner happy, the 26-year-old would be willing to play in the 4-4-2 formation.

Unfortunately, it's something that Chelsea have tried, tested and failed to implement. The experiment with Torres and striking rival Demba Ba in the 4-4-2 has not worked on several occasions, although having a player as consistent and dangerous as Cavani in attack alongside Torres could be mouthwatering.

The chances of the highly rated forward coming to Stamford Bridge remain doubtful as Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City are also keeping tabs on his situation at the San Paolo, according to The Telegraph. Wherever he goes, the Uruguay star is a player of the highest quality, and his loss would be devastating for the Partenopei. 

If he does make the big-money move to West London, there would be doubts over where Cavani could fit in, but none whatsoever over his ability to become a success in the Premier League.