Fernando Torres signs for Chelsea for 50 million pounds
Recession or no recession, the world of football has always amazed fans with mind boggling transfers and this January was no different.
In fact calling it no different would be an understatement as the last day of this January window was the most expensive last day of a winter transfer window ever.
Leading up to January 31st the total expenditure of the month stood at around 82 million pounds and only on the last day the figure was more than doubled.
Chelsea shattered the British transfer record by a country mile when they agreed to pay a whopping 50 million pounds for the transfer of Fernando Torres from Liverpool.
The Blues signed a five and a half year deal with the club and becomes the 4th highest transfer in the history of the game behind Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic and Kaka.
"This is the target for every footballer - to try to play for one of the top clubs in the world. They [Chelsea] are one of the biggest teams in Europe and are always fighting for everything", said Torres after successfully completing his medical at the Cobham
training ground last night.
The four biggest signings of the day involved Liverpool and Chelsea as Chelsea also snapped up Benfica’s http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/David-Luiz-c10542 for a fee believed to be 21 million pounds.
Liverpool signed Andy Carrol of Newcastle as a replacement for Torres but paid a logic defying 35 million pounds to the Toons along with finalising the deal for Luis Suarez for 22.8 million pounds.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Fernando-Torres-c13707 spent three and a half years at Anfield after joining the club from Atletico Madrid for 20 million pounds and scored 81 league goals in 142 appearances for the club including 33 in his first 46 games.
"I'm so happy and proud to be here, it's been two, three, four, very hard days for me. I'm really happy - this is a great club. I'm prepared and ready for the challenge. I know there are many great players here and I will work hard to win a place in the
team. I am looking forward very much to helping my new team-mates this season and for many years to come. It's my dream to win the Champions League and I'm sure I can, playing for Chelsea", said the 26 year old Spaniard, who is eligible to play in the Champions
League for Chelsea and could well line up to face Liverpool on Sunday.
Liverpool fans have been angered by the transfer and believe that the London club has tapped up the player.
Torres had a 50 million pound release clause in his contract but that would only have been triggered if the club failed to qualify for the Champions League this season
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 were able to fend off the interest as they were competing for top honours that season with winning the Premier League
a possibility that season.
However, their stance had been weakened this season as they plummeted to new depths after the departure of Rafael Benitez and Hodgson was not able to do anything good at the club and was shown the door after just six months in charge.
Since the takeover of the club by Fenway Sports Club, and, the hiring of Kenny Dalglish as the manager, the club has somewhat got back to its feet and climbed to seventh place in the league after notching up two consecutive wins.
But it was not good enough for Nando, who, was looking to play for a side that is challenging for top honours in the country and continent.
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