It’s official, the biggest transfer of the ‘Abramovich era’ at Chelsea has just been completed, with the arrival of former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.
With a reported fee of around fifty million pounds, the transfer smashes the previous English record set by Manchester City’s signing of Robinho.
In terms of expenditure and profile, the transfer is undoubtedly the biggest of the Abramovich era and, arguably, in the history of the club.
In an official statement on the clubs website, Fernando spoke of his delight at making the move to SW6.
‘I am very happy with my transfer to Chelsea and I am looking forward very much to helping my new team-mates this season and for many years to come.
‘Having played against Chelsea many times since coming to England, and in some very big games I will never forget, I know there are many great players here and I will work hard to win a place in the team. I hope I can score some important goals for the supporters to enjoy this season.’
Bruce Buck, Chelsea’s chairman, stated: ‘This is a very significant day for Chelsea, capturing one of the best players in the world with his peak years ahead of him. We have long admired the talents of a player who is a proven goalscorer in English football and Fernando’s arrival is a sign of our continuing high ambitious. I hope every Chelsea fan is as excited as I am with this news.’
Fernando Torres has shot to international prominence during his last few seasons at Liverpool, since arriving in 2007 he has been a prolific goalscorer for the Anfield outfit.
After scoring in his Liverpool début against Chelsea, he went on to bag another 32 goals in his first season at Anfield.
Success at an international level followed at the European Championship tournament in 2008, where he scored the winning goal for Spain against Germany in the final.
He has since scored 48 goals for Liverpool in subsequent seasons, and triumphed in the World Cup last season.
Torres has signed a five and a half year contract with the club, and will likely make his Stamford Bridge début against Liverpool this weekend.
After protracted negotiations with Benfica, the club will also soon announce the arrival of Brazilian international David Luiz.
Luiz has been a key defensive figure for his Portuguese club, and his solid performances have earned him call ups to the Brazilian national team, where he is tipped to be the next big star.
Vital Chelsea would like to warmly welcome Fernando and David to the club, and wish them the best of luck for the season ahead!
Share this article
