West Ham loanee Gokhan Tore has struggled for playing time after having his season wrecked by a knee injury which will keep him out until the summer.

Tore spoke to Fanatik Besiktas editor Gökmen Özcan about his return to the Premier League and revealed that the Chelsea side he was a part of in his last stint in England was the best team around at the time.

See More: For the latest Gokhan Tore news and everything else you ever wanted to know about the West Ham star

The Turkish international was signed to Chelsea as a youth player but left for HSV before breaking into the first team.

Tore said that he was forced to leave because Chelsea were the best team of their era and that it was very difficult for a youngster to rise through the pecking order when the likes of Didier Drogba, Kalou, Anelka and Torres are first team players.

“I started at Leverkusen then got my transfer to Chelsea where I spent two seasons,” Tore said.

“I rose to the first team and spent six months on the bench but you have to understand the Chelsea of that era were unrivalled. 

“We had a team with Drogba, Kalou, Anelka and Torres it was unbelievable. 

“As a youth product it was very difficult to break into the first team but I never game up until Hamburg came in with an offer and the promise of first team football.”

Tore joined Hamburg after rising through the youth ranks at Chelsea, followed by a brief stint at Rubin Kazan and before finally joining Besiktas.

The 25-year-old winger became one of the most sought after players in the league during current West Ham boss Slaven Bilic’s time at the club.

Bilic played a major role in signing Tore on a one-year loan with a buyout clause option last summer.

Tore will however, return to Besiktas at the end of the season and the Hammers will not be activating his release clause.