Liverpool FC Forum

by **lakes10** » Sat May 15, 2010 4:55 pm

Barcelona's president-elect, Sandro Rosell, joins race to snap up Fernando TorresBy Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 11:29 PM on 14th May 2010
Comments (0) Add to My Stories In demand: Europe's big clubs are ready to pounce on Fernando Torres
Barcelona have joined the battle to sign Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.

Sportsmail revealed that Chelsea and Manchester City had already expressed their desire to buy the £70million-rated Spaniard but now Sandro Rosell, the president-elect of Barcelona, has made contact with Torres’s representatives and has been encouraged by the response.

Torres is reluctant to leave Liverpool but is concerned over speculation surrounding Rafa Benitez’s future as manager and the club’s transfer funding and ownership.

It leaves Liverpool vulnerable to offers for the 26-year-old. But one factor in Liverpool’s favour is that current Barcelona president Joan Laporta plans to sign Valencia’s David Villa for £35m before the end of next week and that would make it difficult for his rival, Rosell, to splash out on Torres.

Moves are afoot for Barcelona to sell Zlatan Ibrahimovic to help offset spending but Chelsea and City have been approached, and their preference is Torres.

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has put his contract negotiations on hold until after the World Cup. The 25

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport....0wQzeuE

by **tubby** » Sat May 15, 2010 4:56 pm

Barca will only go for Torres if they cant get Villa who they hope to unveil next week.

by **tubby** » Sat May 15, 2010 4:58 pm

Owzat wrote:Would I sell Torres? For the right price perhaps. How much is "the right price" ? Well a fecking damned sight more than £40m, try doubling it and I might consider it as we could perhaps get Villa in to replace him and still have quite a bit of money to spend elsewhere

Even if we got 100Mil every team who sells anyone to us will know we have 100Mil burning a hole in our pocket. Not to mention what sort of signal does it send out to the other players when we sell someone as good as him? If we sell him mate we may as well pack it all in.

by **Owzat** » Sun May 16, 2010 6:46 am

bavlondon wrote:
Owzat wrote:Would I sell Torres? For the right price perhaps. How much is "the right price" ? Well a fecking damned sight more than £40m, try doubling it and I might consider it as we could perhaps get Villa in to replace him and still have quite a bit of money to spend elsewhere

Even if we got 100Mil every team who sells anyone to us will know we have 100Mil burning a hole in our pocket. Not to mention what sort of signal does it send out to the other players when we sell someone as good as him? If we sell him mate we may as well pack it all in.

I don't agree players will consider the financial state, they can always move on with the top players always of interest.

Secondly, we may end up losing him anyway so cashing in while big money is about might not be the worst thing. And of course if he has another injury hit season we may find £20m an attractive offer and top of the bids. We'll survive (without him), I do hate the mentality that we can't possibly sell one of our better players.

But it would help with a manager at the helm who doesn't very often get value for money for players. There are good players out there to be had, but our manager ignores the decent frees on offer, then latterly decides he might buy English after all and pays over the odds for one, then goes chasing others with "sucker" written all over his face. Plenty of decent players have moved in the last season or two who are in the preliminary England WC squad, Defoe, Bent, Milner, Warnock to name four. Sure some are off-putting in terms of price, but Rafa splashed out £17.5m on Johnson, £20m on Aquilani, £7m on Dossena, £8m on Riera and £20.3m on Keane so it's not as if all the price tags are way under what we paid. Add to that the freebies of players like Owen, Turnbull and Cole and English doesn't have to cost the earth. Rafa wanted to pay £18m for Barry, a year later big spenders citeh got him for £12m when most of their buys are lavish and over-priced - why, if Barry is so good, weren't we at least matching the £12m bid if no more?!?

People talk as if we couldn't use £80m-£100m, should bolster the squad that had to cope for near enough 43% of the season without Torres - not that ONE player constitutes the injury crisis some like to go on about, you do get injuries and it isn't always Degens, Aurelios or other non-essential players

by **kazza** » Sun May 16, 2010 7:54 am

I think if the price is a no brainer then sell, sell, sell.

In regards to having 100 million burning a hole in our pocket, we sell Torres with the condition that it is not released to the press for a couple of weeks and buy our players (it can be done). We could also buy first if we had a written commitment for the sale of Torres. I will miss him, but 70-80 million for a player that gives us about 25 games a season is good business.

by **Johnny Boy** » Sun May 16, 2010 8:27 am

If we do sell him I would be gutted, and so will the 1000's buying the new shirt with his name on the back.

I am delaying my purchase.

The thought of selling him to City or Chelsea worries me, if he was sold abroad for £70 million that enabled us to buy 4 or 5 players I wouldn't be quite as worried. Especially given the injury hit season we have just had with him.

by **tubby** » Sun May 16, 2010 8:39 am

Owzat wrote:
bavlondon wrote:
Owzat wrote:Would I sell Torres? For the right price perhaps. How much is "the right price" ? Well a fecking damned sight more than £40m, try doubling it and I might consider it as we could perhaps get Villa in to replace him and still have quite a bit of money to spend elsewhere

Even if we got 100Mil every team who sells anyone to us will know we have 100Mil burning a hole in our pocket. Not to mention what sort of signal does it send out to the other players when we sell someone as good as him? If we sell him mate we may as well pack it all in.

I don't agree players will consider the financial state, they can always move on with the top players always of interest.

Secondly, we may end up losing him anyway so cashing in while big money is about might not be the worst thing. And of course if he has another injury hit season we may find £20m an attractive offer and top of the bids. We'll survive (without him), I do hate the mentality that we can't possibly sell one of our better players.

But it would help with a manager at the helm who doesn't very often get value for money for players. There are good players out there to be had, but our manager ignores the decent frees on offer, then latterly decides he might buy English after all and pays over the odds for one, then goes chasing others with "sucker" written all over his face. Plenty of decent players have moved in the last season or two who are in the preliminary England WC squad, Defoe, Bent, Milner, Warnock to name four. Sure some are off-putting in terms of price, but Rafa splashed out £17.5m on Johnson, £20m on Aquilani, £7m on Dossena, £8m on Riera and £20.3m on Keane so it's not as if all the price tags are way under what we paid. Add to that the freebies of players like Owen, Turnbull and Cole and English doesn't have to cost the earth. Rafa wanted to pay £18m for Barry, a year later big spenders citeh got him for £12m when most of their buys are lavish and over-priced - why, if Barry is so good, weren't we at least matching the £12m bid if no more?!?

People talk as if we couldn't use £80m-£100m, should bolster the squad that had to cope for near enough 43% of the season without Torres - not that ONE player constitutes the injury crisis some like to go on about, you do get injuries and it isn't always Degens, Aurelios or other non-essential players

It's a risk but it would only work if we got in the required personal to replace him as well as elsewhere.

re Gareth Barry I believe his wage expectations were through the roof.

by **LFC ANIME** » Sun May 16, 2010 12:27 pm

Johnny Boy wrote:If we do sell him I would be gutted, and so will the 1000's buying the new shirt with his name on the back.

I am delaying my purchase.

The thought of selling him to City or Chelsea worries me, if he was sold abroad for £70 million that enabled us to buy 4 or 5 players I wouldn't be quite as worried. Especially given the injury hit season we have just had with him.

Bought my new top the other day.... Had "King Kenny" number 7 :buttrock

by **Johnny Boy** » Sun May 16, 2010 1:04 pm

LFC ANIME wrote:
Johnny Boy wrote:If we do sell him I would be gutted, and so will the 1000's buying the new shirt with his name on the back.

I am delaying my purchase.

The thought of selling him to City or Chelsea worries me, if he was sold abroad for £70 million that enabled us to buy 4 or 5 players I wouldn't be quite as worried. Especially given the injury hit season we have just had with him.

Bought my new top the other day.... Had "King Kenny" number 7

Good idea!

by **lakes10** » Sun May 16, 2010 2:34 pm

Johnny Boy wrote:
LFC ANIME wrote:
Johnny Boy wrote:If we do sell him I would be gutted, and so will the 1000's buying the new shirt with his name on the back.

I am delaying my purchase.

The thought of selling him to City or Chelsea worries me, if he was sold abroad for £70 million that enabled us to buy 4 or 5 players I wouldn't be quite as worried. Especially given the injury hit season we have just had with him.

Bought my new top the other day.... Had "King Kenny" number 7

Good idea!

there are some great tops about right now if you dont wish to give the owners your money, there is one in my local shop, it the 1986 87 top i think,with Ian Rush on it.

by **maguskwt** » Mon May 17, 2010 2:02 pm

Feckin worrying this... IMO player + cash deals are dangerous because if the player was enjoying himself at chelsea he would feel that he is pushed out against his will and might not do well at the new club...

*******************

Fernando Torres will be the subject of a world record bid from Chelsea within days.

GettyImages

Fernando Torres wants Champions League football

The total package of transfer fee and salary will make Torres a staggering £130 million investment. And Soccernet has been informed that owner Roman Abramovich is personally taking control of the project to bring the Liverpool striker to Chelsea.

Torres has been linked with Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid for a some time but the Blues will be first to make a concrete offer.

Abramovich is ready to release the cash following a Premier League and FA Cup double this season, but he is also acutely aware he could cut an alternative deal with Liverpool in need of new players.

Chelsea are willing to offer three players in part exchange, as an option to smooth through the Torres transfer.

Abramovich is also prepared to match City's expected offer to Torres of £200,000-a-week, which is being mooted via the middle men now authorised to try and clinch the deal.

An insider told Soccernet: "Torres is the best, and Roman wants the best. He has identified Torres as the player who can help him bring the Champions League to Stamford Bridge.

"Torres can go to City for just as much money perhaps even more, but it's clear that Chelsea offer far more in terms of a crack at the Champions League whereas City aren't even in it."

Chelsea are drawing up a list of players to offer to Liverpool in part exchange for Torres that could take the overall transfer value above the £80 million world record Real Madrid paid for Cristiano Ronaldo.

The deal could be structured like this; pick any three players from a specified list plus £40 million cash up front for Torres. That offer, according to Soccernet sources, will be made well ahead of the World Cup finals in South Africa, and most likely early next week.

With the three players averaging around £15 million each, the total valuation of the Torres offer would be in excess of the Ronaldo fee.

Abramovich is personally spearheading the quest to land Torres, and his manager Carlo Ancelotti will consider which players to use as bait to tempt Liverpool: Jose Bosingwa, Nicolas Anelka, Ricardo Carvalho, Deco, Salomon Kalou and Paulo Ferreira.

Anelka is the one player the Italian coach might be reluctant to offer up and, of course, the Frenchman might not wish to return to Anfield - although he has expressed regret at failing to win a permanent move to the club after spending a loan spell on Merseyside.

Manchester City are also in a position to offer Liverpool a shopping list of swap players, as well as a cash payment in excess of Chelsea's, but the prospect of joining the Double winners and a club intent on landing the Champions League would be far more appealing.

Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are battling with losses of £54.9 million, a net debt of £351 million, no Champions League football and with new chairman Martin Broughton an appointee of the club's bank RBS, a £40 million cash-plus-players bid for their star asset will clearly be accepted.

Ironically, Broughton is a Chelsea season ticket holder, and any decision to sell would inevitably make him unpopular at Anfield.

Such is the ground work being prpeared at the Bridge for the Torres bid, that star striker Didier Drogba is already ready to welcome him to the club.

"Of course I would welcome Torres," Drogba said last week. "Every time a new player comes here, it makes the club bigger and gives us a lot of strength. If there is a chance for him to come here, he will be welcome, because any help is welcome.''

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news....cc=4716

by **maguskwt** » Mon May 17, 2010 2:25 pm

Nicolas Anelka, age 31
Ricardo Carvlaho, age 31
Deco, age 32
Paulo Ferreira, age 31
Bosingwa, age 27
Salomon Kalou, age 24

Only Bosngwa and Kalou are on the right side of 30s... no feckin deal... Torres lad, I'm sorry but you signed a contract which earns you 110k per week... you'll be going nowhere...

by **Octsky** » Mon May 17, 2010 2:32 pm

maguskwt wrote:Nicolas Anelka, age 31
Ricardo Carvlaho, age 31
Deco, age 32
Paulo Ferreira, age 31
Bosingwa, age 27
Salomon Kalou, age 24

Only Bosngwa and Kalou are on the right side of 30s... no feckin deal... Torres lad, I'm sorry but you signed a contract which earns you 110k per week... you'll be going nowhere...

My greatest fear is that those clowns from the US will take the deal.
If Roman is serious and we are crazy enough, offer us 100m pounds.

by **tonyeh** » Mon May 17, 2010 2:45 pm

It'll be the end of LFC if Bentiez stays and Torres goes.

Feckin hell, it doesn't bare thinking about.

by **Octsky** » Mon May 17, 2010 3:17 pm

If Torres leaves LFC, it will comes down as a dark chapter for our club. Imagine the utmost potential not fulfill here, the countless of trophies not won.
Torres is a player that comes once it a decade, and I hope to see him captains the club one day, after Gerrard.
He is at our club for 3 seasons and i already see him as a legend.

I hope the owners are not so stupid to sell him again. If they did they should be condemned.

Liverpool FC Forum

Taxi for Torres - judas fecks off to chelsea

Who is online