Rafa : Liverpool could have sold Torres for £70m last season

zocoss SG

Rafa Benitez

The Spain international joined Chelsea on transfer-deadline day for a British record £50million, just three days after handing in a transfer request at Liverpool.

Benítez – who was dismissed after six years in charge at Anfield — brought Torres to the Premier League for £20million in 2007, and he revealed the club were informed they would have received a substantially larger fee for the player had they cashed in last summer.

“I think last year we were talking about £70million,” Benítez said in an interview for the BBC’s Football Focus to be broadcast on Saturday. “People were talking about maybe you receive an offer from another club. They were talking about £70million.

“He was not playing at the same level, but he is still a very good player. It is big money but could [have been] even better.”

Chelsea did have an offer — of around £28million — turned down for the forward last summer, while Manchester City are thought to have inquired as to Torres’s availability and been informed that Liverpool would not sell their prize asset.

Benítez, who parted company with Inter Milan in December, also revealed he would relish the opportunity to return to Anfield as manager one day.

“To be manager of Liverpool is a dream for me,” he said. “This time, I know that Kenny is doing really well. If you say to me in the future would you like to be manager, for sure, no doubt about this. When, that is the question.”

zocoss SG

Blue is the colour: Torres rejected Dalglish's appeal in favour of Ancelotti's side

KENNY DALGLISH opened up on Fernando Torres's contentious deadline-day move to Chelsea yesterday and admitted he did his utmost to talk him out of it.

As Liverpool prepared to face their one-time record signing in the most eagerly anticipated Barclays Premier League game of the season so far, at Stamford Bridge tomorrow, Dalglish described how he pleaded with him to resist Chelsea's overtures.

Torres insisted on leaving and duly completed a British record £50million move that prompted Dalglish to recruit Andy Carroll from Newcastle and add him to Luis Suarez in a new-look Anfield strike force.

Though Carroll is still nursing a thigh injury, former Ajax marksman Suarez will be involved after announcing his arrival with a goal, just 16 minutes after going on as substitute against Stoke on Wednesday night.

Asked if he tried to persuade Torres to continue spearheading a Liverpool revival, Dalglish said: 'Of course I spoke to him. I did what you thought I would do, what everybody hoped I would do.

'I did my job properly and correctly, and we were disappointed that he left. But he has gone. That was his decision, and the thing is, we didn't mope around. We got out and did the business.

'We were disappointed that he chose not to stay, and with the timing, but we have to get on with it. The most important thing is the way we reacted to it. That is great credit to everybody.

While Dalglish refused to criticise Torres, the Spain striker came under attack from former Anfield legend Robbie Fowler, who pointedly wore a Liverpool No 9 jersey worn backwards and emblazoned with Torres's name as part of The Shirts That Hurt fundraiser for victims of the Queensland floods.

Nine, nine, nine: Robbie Fowler with his 'Shirt of Hurt' - a little Torres number

'There's nothing wrong with the front of the shirt, it's just the name on the back,' said the 35-year-old who now plays for Perth Glory.

'I think it is quite apt for this charity, as it is something myself or any other Liverpool fan would not be seen in.

'He (Torres) didn't leave the club in great hands or great shape but thankfully they managed to go out and buy a couple of decent players.'

Writing in his column in the West Australian newspaper, Fowler said: 'There is something not quite right about Torres's lastminute move to Chelsea, and Liverpool fans have been up in arms.'

'As a Liverpool fan it was disappointing to see Torres leave because on his day he’s a world-class player and I want the best players at the club.

‘But if I was a manager and a player said he didn’t want to be at the club I’d try to get the best deal I could.

‘Only a couple of weeks ago Torres was talking about how much he loved the fans and the club.

'He won’t be getting a warm welcome next time he plays at Anfield,’ added the Croxteth-born man.

KENNY DULLFOOL SG

TYPICAL POO FANS....WHEN A PLAYER LEFT THE SHITTY CLUB,THEY CALLED HIM A TRAITOR

reyes SG

if someone double your wages, i bet most logical ppl would leave for another job.

what make a footballer different. moreover, liverpool get 50million for him, i think more than enough to compensate

Asromanista2001 SG

for 50m pounds...........i would have thrown in Kuyt also...........but Chelsea won't want him also...........

KENNY DULLFOOL SG

for 50m pounds...........i would have thrown in Kuyt also...........but Chelsea won't want him also...........

also old farts carragher n gerrard as a thank you gesture for the 50 mil pounds

Elite Asia SG

If my memory is not wrong i read that Real Madrid had all the money spent on the purchase of C. Ronaldo back in one year only in shirt sales. If this is true no wonder the clubs can pay these crazy amounts for a player......

KENNY DULLFOOL SG

u blackburn fan ar?must be very lonely and frustrating supporting losers...wel,at least u can say...remember 1995??u can always go back to 1995 for self comfort,just liverpoo fans