Will Fernando Torres be able to revive Chelsea’s Premiership bid?
Wire Services
Chelsea have signed Liverpool’s Spanish striker Fernando Torres on Monday for a British transfer record of £50 million pounds (S$102 million).
The ex- Liverpool striker signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League champions, who announced the deal on their website 35 minutes after the official close of the January transfer window.
“Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Fernando Torres on a five-and-a-half year contract,” said a statement published on the Blues’ website.
The 26-year-old’s transfer smashed the previous British record set less than an hour earlier when Liverpool paid Newcastle £35 million pounds (S$71 million) to sign England striker Andy Carroll as Torres’s replacement.
“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,” Torres told Chelsea’s website.
“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.
“I hope I can score some important goals for the supporters to enjoy this season.”
Liverpool fans burn a Fernando Torres shirt at Melwood Training Ground, Liverpool , England, Monday Jan. 31, 2011. (Reuters)
Liverpool fans burn a Fernando Torres shirt at Melwood Training Ground, Liverpool. (Reuters)
Torres, who has won the World Cup and European Championships with Spain, had asked to leave Liverpool on Friday when news of Chelsea’s first bid for the striker became public knowledge.
The Spanish striker who scored seven times in seven appearances against Chelsea, was keen to leave Liverpool after the club slumped out of the Champions League last season and then struggled in the first half of this campaign.
Liverpool rejected that request, but Blues owner Roman Abramovich was determined to sign the former Atletico Madrid star and the Anfield club eventually accepted Chelsea’s huge offer after securing Carroll’s signature.
Although Torres is unlikely to feature in Chelsea’s Premier League match at Sunderland on Tuesday, the forward could make his debut against Liverpool of all teams at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Torres scored 65 goals in 102 league appearances for Liverpool and 81 in 142 games in all competitions.
Fernando Torres arrives for training at Liverpool, hours before signing for Chelsea. (Getty)
Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck added, “This is a very significant day for Chelsea, capturing one of the best players in the world with his peak years ahead of him. We have long admired the talents of a player who is a proven goalscorer in English football and Fernando’s arrival is a sign of our continuing high ambitions.”
Regardless of how Torres fits into Carlo Ancelotti’s tactics, his signing is a significant statement of intent to Chelsea’s Premier League rivals. A miserable run of results before Christmas has left Chelsea in fourth place, trailing 10 points behind leaders Manchester United.
But bringing in a proven world star like Torres shows that Roman Abramovich is still determined to keep Chelsea on top of the pile. It will help with the team’s push to finish in the top four and could even spark a late title charge.
“Signing a player of the stature of Fernando Torres benefits the club on many levels,” chief executive Ron Gourlay said.
“Carlo Ancelotti was keen to add his talents to the squad as we continue our quest for three trophies this season, we are delighted we have succeeded with that wish, and this signing will undoubtedly aid the club in realising our worldwide potential.”
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