Thomas Tuchel arrives at Chelsea verdict after Jose Mourinho's one word Diego Costa praise

It was in 2019 that Jose Mourinho was asked to describe several of his former Chelsea players in just a single word. For Didier Drogba, it was "legend". John Terry was hailed as a "leader" by the Portuguese. Michael Essien, meanwhile, was called a "son" by Mourinho, who coached the midfielder both at Stamford Bridge and Real Madrid.

Then there was Diego Costa. The Brazilian-born striker spearheaded the attack during Mourinho's third Premier League title win as Chelsea head coach. He snarled. He scuffled. He scored. And that is why when tasked with choosing one word to describe Costa, who spent three seasons at Stamford Bridge, Mourinho simply replied: "Animal." It remains an apt description.

Chelsea had never owned a striker quite like Costa. They're unlikely to in the future either. The Spain international was unpredictable and combative; a player equally capable of scoring a hat-trick or connecting with a headbutt. Perhaps even in the same game. It's why he was so adored by Blues supporters. He may have been a pantomime villain, but he was their pantomime villain.

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Nobody in Thomas Tuchel's squad quite matches up to Costa. Antonio Rudiger is probably the closest in terms of chicanery and aggressivity, but the German centre-back is down a rung or two on the ladder when compared to the weekly antics of the Blues' former No.19.

Chelsea's current first-choice forward, Kai Havertz, certainly doesn't have the same fiendish quality. He is far more controlled and less easily riled. "He is simply not that guy that you will fully feel or see enraged," Tuchel stated last year. "For some, you feel they have to fight with others to get