Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has told Chelsea to forget
about making any move for Spanish striker Fernando Torres.
Despite sacking manager Avram Grant on Saturday,
Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich was reported yesterday
to be planning to lure the Israeli's transfer targets to Stamford
Bridge.
The 24-year-old Liverpool forward, who scored 33 goals
in his first season since a £23 million move from Atletico Madrid
last summer, is a priority and Abramovich is reported to be
prepared to offer a world record £50 million to sign Torres.
With Liverpool's future ownership still uncertain,
Chelsea's strategy may assume that such an offer would be
impossible to turn down.
But Hicks told The Daily Telegraph in an email
yesterday that no amount of money could persuade them to part
company with Torres.
"We would never consider it," he said.
Whether Hicks remains in charge to keep his promise on
Torres remains to be seen. Liverpool's future ownership hinges on
whether his partner, George Gillett, sells out to Dubai
International Capital.
Hicks has said he will block Gillett from cashing in on
his 50 per cent stake. But DIC remain confident that the Texan
businessman may back down eventually, or that he may have to sell
out himself.
