Abraham on relationship with Mourinho, goalscoring targets and more

With 24 goals in all competitions to date, Abraham is enjoying a record-setting first season in Italian football – and is just two goals away from setting a new record for a goals by an English player in a single Serie A season.

The England international acknowledged that he had initially had some doubts about moving abroad last summer – but that the presence of Mourinho, along with a few other factors, ultimately persuaded him that it was a chance he could not pass up.

“It [Mourinho’s presence] was a factor involved, yes,” Abraham told Talksport.

“As a young English lad I wanted to stay in England. Roma came along and Atalanta and many different teams around the world, I was telling myself I wanted to stay in the Premier League and that I had something to prove.

“But my dad, parents and agent sat me down and said, ‘You scored goals at Chelsea, Swansea and Bristol City, go and test the waters, go and experience life abroad.’ When they were speaking it kind of dawned on me that not many players can say they’ve gone out in Italy, to Serie A and a team like Roma.

“I never back down from a challenge so when this challenge came along I thought as I’m still young this is the best time for me to go and do it.”

Asked for insight on his relationship with Mourinho, Abraham added: “You know Mourinho’s a character that we all know.

“There’s a reason why I call him the best manager in the world. He knows how to drive you, he knows how to get under your skin and he knows how to make you feel like a very special player at times.

“He’ll never tell you [that] but I always want to do my best for him. He pushes me to do my best.

“When I feel like I’ve done enough he tells me I have to do more.

“I experienced him when I was at Chelsea as a kid, I went to train with the first-team and he was always hard on me, he was always pushing me to better myself – I felt like when I did something right he’d tell me to do it better.

“That’s exactly what I needed, that push and that drive, especially after the difficult season I had at Chelsea where I wasn’t playing and getting much game time.

“To come here and have a manager like Mourinho to coach you, to believe in you only gives you more confidence.”

Abraham has made no secret of his ambition to use his club form to book his England place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – and revealed he has been in regular contact with national team boss Gareth Southgate.

“He [Southgate] sent me a message prior to the international break,” Abraham revealed.

“I think he watched my Lazio game, he was telling me loved the way I played, loved how passionate I was and I need to carry on that mentality and hunger.

“It’s nice to know you’re being acknowledged even when playing away from England.”

The 24-year-old subsequently revealed how he uses the goalscoring form of other strikers – both in England and Serie A – as fuel to drive him to reach even greater heights.

“It’s just a striker’s instinct,” he said. “When you score or don’t score you’re always checking if another striker scores.

“I even do it in Serie A. If I don’t score one game I’m checking to see who the top goalscorer is.

“These are the kind of things that drive you as a striker. It’s inspiring to see other players doing well because it pushes you to do even better. That’s the mentality I have.

“My competition is myself. If I don’t score one game and I don’t play well then I can’t sleep at night, you can ask my girlfriend … and if I miss a chance but score I’m still angry because I want to score more.”