Fernando Torres Joins Chelsea
Fernando Torres elaves Liverpool to sign a five and a half-year deal with Chelsea
It’s official! The long-awaited transfer has been made. Fernando Torres left the Reds to join the Blues as Chelsea and Liverpool have agreed on Spaniard’s move to Stamford Bridge.
Reds’ official website confirmed the news and said that Torres’s manager is in talks with the Blues officials. They say that Spanish player’s move from Anfield couldn’t be avoided although Reds’ new manager Kenny Dalglish insisted to keep the striker in Liverpool. Torres signed a five and a half-year contract with the Blues.
Said Torres: “I am very happy with my transfer to Chelsea and I am looking forward very much to helping my new team-mates this season and for many years to come. Having played against Chelsea many times since coming to England, and in some very big games I will never forget, I know there are many great players here and I will work hard to win a place in the team.”
Liverpool had already replaced the 26-year-old Spaniard with Ajax’s Luis Suarez and Newcastle’s Andy Carroll, thing which prefigured Torres’s move from Liverpool. But it remains to be seen which Chelsea player will be replaced by one of the best top-scorers in Premiership.
Torres scored nine goals this season, but so did Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda. Perhaps he will replace Nicolas Anelka or Salomon Kaloud. As for Daniel Sturridge, Chelsea loaned the striker to Bolton. Chelsea’s chairman Bruce Buck looked very pleased with Torres’s move in London. “This is a very significant day for Chelsea, capturing one of the best players in the world with his peak years ahead of him.”
Torres is an Atletico Madrid product. He started his senior career at the early age of 17 to become one of the best scorers in the Spanish league. The striker spent six years with Atletico for whom he scored 82 goals in 214 appearances and joined Liverpool in 2007. Rafa Benitez succeeded to bring the youngster on Afield for about 20 million pounds.
Torres scored 65 goals in 102 selections with the Reds and was named the team’s Player of the Season 2007-08. Concerning his international career, the forwarder has 26 goals scored in 82 selections for Spain with whom he just won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Chelsea sit fourth in the Premier League table with 41 points in 23 games, four behind third Manchester City, and a 12-5-6 record of the season, while Liverpool lie seventh with 32 points. Torres scored the only two goals of the first-leg against Chelsea, but is expected now to do the same to Liverpool. The Blues meet the Reds next Sunday.
