WARNING ... Fernando Torres
And he did NOT rule out going to Manchester
United.
It is a devastating blow for Reds fans who fear their
best player will walk out of the club to fulfil his ambition of
winning trophies.
Fed-up Torres openly admitted the possibility of
quitting UNLESS the club can form a competitive
side by signing FIVE world-class players in the
summer.
Asked whether he is planning to quit Anfield if they
fail to make the top four and a Champions League spot, Torres gave
a far from appeasing response for the Reds faithful.
He said: "It's too early to talk. Sincerely I believe
we are going to be fourth but qualifying for the Champions League
is not that important for me.
"What is really important is that the club makes a big
effort and brings great players that are above the quality of the
squad.
"We need four or five players of the highest level to
compete, better than the ones we have, that make all of us grit our
teeth and make us fight for our place.
"Without strengthening, what's the point of finishing
fourth and fight once again next season just to be in the top
four."
This is the worst season the Anfield giants have had in
years. Nine defeats in the league — the latest at Wigan on Monday —
have left them huffing and puffing for a Champions League spot.
The Reds are out of this season's Champions League, the
FA Cup and the Carling Cup, and also crashed to a 1-0 loss at Lille
in the first leg of their Europa League tie on Thursday.
Torres made it clear that next season he wants to be in
a team that is challenging for honours and admitted that Liverpool
currently do not have a team good enough to do that.
He added: "Next season I want to fight to win the
Premier League, to win the Champions or the Europa League but to
achieve that we have to make signings.
"There are many circumstances and a lot of things have
to happen so it's very early to talk about that but I have this one
and three more years of contract."
Even more worryingly, though, Torres left open the
possibility of a move to hated rivals Manchester United.
The question in Spanish newspaper AS could not be
clearer. When asked if it is as impossible to join Manchester
United as it is for him to go to Real Madrid as a former Atletico
player, Torres replied: "No, but I have left my home and it's clear
that I owe a lot to Liverpool, and I am very happy here, the people
have treated me as if I were from here.
"But I am going to think about my future and I hope it
is here, I think these people deserve to win. Above than thinking
about me I think the club deserves to get back to winning ways, but
even themselves right now know they are far from that."
He added: "The fans are worried that players might
leave, that is a problem when you start fearing that your players
will go.
"It's because you know the club is not going forward
but I think this is not the course that the club will follow.
"Since the arrival of Christian Purslow, Liverpool had
an important injection of cash. We signed a new sponsor with a lot
of money, the same level as Real Madrid, so things will move
forward."
But Torres admitted that the side's failings have left
him disillusioned.
He said: "I expected this season would be fundamental
for me. It seemed we had aspirations to win the League and in the
Champions League we would be the same competitive team as always,
fighting till the end, and of course with the season finishing in
South Africa.
"It seemed it could be the best season and it's been
the complete opposite. There have been despairing moments, of
frustration, moments where everything went wrong and it turned
around in your mind a thousand times.
"But you still look for positives and at this stage of
the season let's see if we can win the Europa League, we will try
to finish fourth and demand that next season they make signings of
a high level so we can compete."
And he once again left open a possible departure from
Anfield, adding: "I owe a lot to Liverpool and I am proud to be
part of its history and to continue to break records and within a
few years, I don't know for how many clubs I will have played but
it's certain that I will be proud to have played for
Liverpool."
