Chelsea have fired their opening shot in the battle to
sign Liverpool's Fernando Torres by lodging a formal bid believed
to be in the region of £40million for the Spain
striker.
Roman Abramovich is ready to back manager Carlo Ancelotti all
the way in his pursuit of his top summer target.
New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has already admitted he can
offer no guarantee that either Torres or skipper Steven Gerrard
will be at Anfield next season. And given Liverpool's precarious
financial situation, a concerted effort to sign Torres by Chelsea
is likely to prove impossible to resist.
Ironically, the striker is currently sweating on his
place in Spain's starting line-up for tomorrow's World Cup
semi-final against Germany with speculation rife that he i s to be
dropped in favour of either Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas or Manchester
City new boy David Silva.
Torres yesterday admitted he has not fully recovered from
undergoing knee surgery in April.
Ahead of the last-four clash at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium,
he said he was 'not at his physical best' after struggling for form
since being in South Africa.
The striker has failed to score in Spain's five games so far and
added he understands some of the criticism of him and that he has
had his share of 'difficult moments'.
Meanwhile, Fabregas insisted he is eager to face the Germans
despite suffering pain in his shoulder.
Fabregas revealed he may need a painkilling injection in his
right shoulder to play tomorrow.
'It's painful but when you are up for it, it's fine,' he said.
'I am ready to get an injection to play. If Del Bosque needs me
I'll be there.'
