Goal.com can reveal that Liverpool officials are in
Madrid to complete the transfer of Fernando Torres.
The big money signings that the new Liverpool owners have been
promising might finally become a reality.
George Gillett had insisted on Monday evening that he was ready for
Liverpool's "phase two": the signing of new players after securing
key ones to improved contracts, and there have been definite
movements.
They have been tracking Fernando Torres for a while, and have now
stepped up their efforts.
The Reds are looking to make their mark this summer, and a team has
travelled to Madrid, we can confirm.
The objective is to finalise the transfer of the Atleti skipper,
and today itself if possible.
Torres, 23, has scored 14 goals in what has been a very moderate
season, one in which the club have collectively struggled.
After having his buy-out clause reduced to 40 million euros last
summer, he is now ready to make the jump to a bigger club.
An earlier bid (from another club) in the region of 30 million
euros fell just short of expectations, and we believe that
Liverpool will offer players as a part of the deal, in order to
bring down the price. Luis Garcia - who played at Atletico Madrid
before Barcelona - is supposedly the player who has been
offered.
The midfielder had an absolutely stunning season at the Vicente
Calderon in 2002-03, when he scored 9 goals in 30 games in addition
to setting up many, and still has admirers at the club.
It is being seen by many as a trip similar to Carlos Quieroz's to
Portugal, when Manchester United set the transfer marked on fire.
At the very least, the objective is similar, to tell other clubs,
and as much their own fans, that they mean business!
source:goal.com
