Fernando Torres: Torres wins Liverpool player of the Year

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Torres will be handed the number nine shirt vacated by Robbie Fowler when he completes his move.

[Pat Murphy]

32m Euros (£21.3m) the move is for Torres and Luis Garcia for 4m Euros (£2.7m) the other way but it doesn't really matter if you combine the players in the deal or do it seperately as it's the same. Atletico have confirmed it on their site much to the horror of Atletico fans who have been out in their thousands to protest all week.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Torres delighted with Liverpool move

Liverpool's new signing Fernando Torres is delighted to have joined "the best club in Europe''.

The Spain striker will be unveiled at Liverpool this afternoon with the Reds having completed his transfer from his beloved Atletico Madrid for a fee believed to be £26.5million.

In his last press conference at the Vicente Calderon, the 23-year-old said: "It has been a difficult decision to leave my all-time club.

"But it would have been hard for me to reject Liverpool's offer. It is a big leap for me and I think it was the right thing for everyone.

"The time comes in the life of a player that he needs more challenges.

"I have always done what was best for the club, too. The Liverpool offer arrived and I only told the club to listen to that offer because that is the team I wanted to play for.

"It's one of the best, if not the best, clubs in Europe.''

Torres is aware of the enormous pressure he will have at Anfield, but believes he is ready for the challenge.

He has been given the number nine shirt, worn most famously by goal machines Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler.

"The fact that Liverpool are giving me the number nine jersey just goes to show the confidence they have placed in me, when considering those who have worn that shirt before me,'' he continued.

"A new beautiful adventure begins for me and I hope that with work and effort I can be among the best players.

"This is a unique opportunity for me. Liverpool aspire to everything and that has been an important factor in my decision to go there.

"I want to adapt as quickly as possible. I think Premiership is a football that adapts well to my style.

"I will arrive with a lot of joy and ambition.''

Torres was saddened to leave Atletico after a disappointing campaign which saw the Madrid outfit fail to qualify for UEFA Cup.

He has played for the club's first team for seven years after supporting them from childhood.

"I will always feel at home at Atletico,'' he said.

Source: Lancashire Evening Post: Preston news, sport, travel, jobs, property, motors, LEP TV

[redduss.arg.rock]

Originally Posted by Mighty T.A.L.

Torres will be handed the number nine shirt vacated by Robbie Fowler when he completes his move.

thats generous of him though i thought he'd play with the no.10 shirt

[Mighty T.A.L.]

I only know Torres have number nine for Spain.I really don't know what number he used in Athletico Madrid.

[redduss.arg.rock]

Originally Posted by Mighty T.A.L.

I only know Torres have number nine for Spain.I really don't know what number he used in Athletico Madrid.

ill check that up but goin from being captain to not being captain thats a bit wierd

[BlackNess]

Liverpool Too Good To Turn Down - Torres

Liverpool Too Good To Turn Down - Torres

Fernando Torres has stated that the chance to join Liverpool was too goo to turn down and asked Atlético's fans to recognise that it was his decision to move.

The 23-year-old striker opted to move to Anfield in a €32m move because he considers the Reds to be one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Having spent seven seasons in the Atlético first team aftr rising through the ranks at the clubs, Torres admits that he was craving a fresh challenge.

“It has been a difficult decision to leave but it would have been hard for me to reject Liverpool’s offer," he explained.

“It is a big leap for me and I think it was the right thing for everyone. The time comes in the life of a player that he needs more challenges.

“I have always done what was best for the club, too. The Liverpool offer arrived and I only told the club to listen to that offer because that is the team I wanted to play for.

“It’s one of the best, if not the best, clubs in Europe.”

Despite the undoubted competition for places in Rafa Benítez's front line, Torres revealed that one key factor was the faith that the Spanish manager and the club have shown in him.

“The fact that Liverpool are giving me the number nine shirt just goes to show the confidence they have placed in me, when considering those who have worn that shirt before me," he continued.

“A new beautiful adventure begins for me and I hope that with work and effort I can be among the best players.

“This is a unique opportunity for me. Liverpool aspire to everything and that has been an important factor in my decision to go there.

“I want to adapt as quickly as possible. I think the Premier League is a football that adapts well to my style. I will arrive with a lot of joy and ambition.”

Torres claims to understand the frustration of Atlético's long-suffering supporters, but asked them not to blame the club for agreeing to the mammoth deal.

"An offer came in and I asked them to listen to it," he said. "The decision was all mine.

"I think that I have shown (my commitment) throughout the last few years.

"I am always going to feel like Atlético is my home."

[BlackNess]

congrats very good signing ....

[Mighty T.A.L.]

I don't think it's important for him.He became captain of Athletico Madrid since he have been so loyal to the club and have been there since he was 15-16?He's now 23 and already established on a high level.I don't know his the type of captain a team because it's clear he became captain of other reasons aswell...Like to try keep him as long as they can...When you become captain of a team then it's not easy to leave the club.If Athletico had qualified to Champions League next season then maybe he still would have been their captain next season also.He just had higher ambitions than Athletico was manage to accomplish.

[red pisces]

Rafa Benitez claims that Fernando Torres turned down bigger money at other clubs to join Liverpool.

The Spanish striker will complete his £26.5million move to Liverpool today and Benitez believes he would only leave Atletico Madrid to join the Reds.

Torres himself gushed about Liverpool in his final press conference as an Atletico player, and Benitez has clearly been impressed with his "passion" for the club.

"Atletico Madrid had better offers and the player had better offers," Benitez told the Liverpool Echo.

"But he always wanted to join Liverpool. That was the key for me.

"We needed to work hard because there were other clubs who wanted him that we knew about - other clubs offering more money.

"But the player said straight away 'I want to join Liverpool'. He said we were his first choice and that was the key for me.

"He has taken a pay cut to come here. Okay he is still on a very good contract because he is a top player. But to be a successful club you need players with passion and Fernando has passion."

Football365.com - RAFA: TORRES TURNED DOWN BIG MONEY - All The News - Football365 News

looks like hes more or less signed now,congrats.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Torres would have spend more money in Athletico Madrid but he wanted a move to Liverpool anyway.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Reds seal Torres signing

Liverpool have completed the signing of Fernando Torres from Atletico Madrid in a club record deal.

The Spanish international has signed a six-year deal at Anfield after agreeing personal terms and passing a medical.

Liverpool have paid a club record £20million to land the highly-rated forward.

Torres flew back to Madrid for a press conference earlier on Wednesday to say goodbye to the Atletico faithful, before flying back to England to be unveiled as a Liverpool player.

Speaking through an interpreter, Torres spoke of his delight at moving to Liverpool.

"I'm very happy to be joining the club," he told Sky Sports News. "It is a fantastic opportunity to be joining one of the best clubs in Europe with a fantastic history.

"You don't get opportunities like this every day of your life.

"I will be working from day one and getting to know my team-mates more closely.

"You have to make sure you are in a position to make choices difficult for the manager as all my team-mates here are of the highest quality.

"Liverpool are the type of club that aspire to win trophies and I will certainly be trying my hardest and doing my little bit to try to improve that record, improve our chances and improve the team a little."

When quizzed on his relationship with his new manager Rafa Benitez, Torres conceded he is looking forward to working alongside his compatriot.

"It was important, the confidence shown in me by him," he added.

"When you hear a club like Liverpool is interested in you it is something that fills you with a lot of surprise and a lot of pride."

Torres arrives in English football with a hefty price-tag weighing on his shoulders, but the Spanish international is determined not be preoccupied by what Liverpool have paid to secure his services.

"The figures that have been mentioned are bound to bring an added pressure, but when you sign for a club like Liverpool you've got to bear pressure.

"I know the demands are high but I believe in hard work and think I can work hard to fulfil those expectations."

Source: Skysports

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Official: Fernando Torres to Liverpool

[NJ10]

no need for that goatee is there?

ah well, Benitez cant complain that we dont go after the big targets any more. that is a huge money signing and in a position that we definitely needed reinforcing. Torres is good, not the finished article (not even close tbh) but lets hope under Rafa and co he can develop and settle into our team.

hopefully not the end of the spending either, Rafa pretty much admitted Bellamy is on his way in the press conference, and with Garcia gone, we have lost 2 goal threats and signed 1, so we still need a wide player, possibly two- in addition to our defensive cover.

[russe||]

Definitely overpriced. I'll be very interested to see how Torres does in the Premiership though. Liverpool have a history of crap signings when it comes to strikers (remember how badly Morientes did there?) and Torres isn't the deadliest striker in the world either:

2006-07: 40 games, 15 goals
2005-06: 40 games, 13 goals
2004-05: 49 games, 20 goals
2003-04: 40 games, 21 goals

Those stats aren't at all dissimilar to the scoring rates of Kuyt and Crouch last season (48 games, 14 goals and 47 games 18 goals). The other thing that stands out about those stats is he isn't used to playing too many games in one season. Look at all the games Kuyt and Crouch racked up despite Benitez rotating his strikers quite alot; you have to assume Torres will not be rotated to such a degree so not only will he have to get used to the physical nature of the Premiership but also the frequency of games.

My gut feeling is he won't be a roaring success for Liverpool.