‘I signed Liverpool contract but there were too many lies so I joined Chelsea instead’

The former Liverpool star claimed he had no choice to move to the Blues in January 2011

There have been several acrimonious player departures from Liverpool in the club’s recent history. However, perhaps none more have stung fans as much as when Fernando Torres’ moved to Chelsea.

Torres quickly ascended to the status of an Anfield icon after joining in 2007. His first two seasons saw him score 50 goals in just 84 appearances.

However, his journey to becoming a club legend was brutally derailed after he elected to join the Blues on transfer deadline day in January 2011. Despite signing a new deal with the Reds just under two years earlier, the Spaniard left in a midnight haste as the deadline approached.

He later claimed the club had “lied” to him, paving the way for his bitter departure. Torres was considered one of the best strikers in the world during his early years at Liverpool and the club wanted to make sure his contract fit this status.

The 2008/09 season saw the Reds challenge for the Premier League title, where they ultimately fell short of Manchester United by just four points.

READ MORE: Marc Guehi gives telling Liverpool response after deadline day transfer collapseREAD MORE: Jamie Carragher dismisses Peter Schmeichel’s brave Chelsea theory – ‘No chance’

The Reds were primed to go again. In 2009, Torres signed a new contract at Anfield, with Liverpool moving to improve terms on what was a six-year deal reportedly worth around £70,000 per week when the striker signed in 2007.

Then-Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was certainly delighted. “Fernando is one of the best strikers in the game and, at his age, can only get better,” he said after Torres signed his new deal.

Torres himself was excited about securing the Red’s first title since 1990. “I am not thinking, ‘Can we win the title?’ I am thinking, ‘We have to win the title'” he said.

His fresh deal saw him reportedly earn £110,000 per week. In terms of an extension, there was none, except for the option of a further year until 2014. However, just 18 months later, he would be wearing Chelsea blue.

Some fans have sided with Torres when it comes to his Anfield exit. A year after he signed his new deal, Anfield was in a serious state of flux.

Benitez had left as manager and was replaced by Roy Hodgson. Fenway Sports Group (FSG) were in the middle of wrestling the club out of the hands of previous owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, while star players such as Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano had left.

Yet, Torres reaffirmed his commitment to Liverpool. “My commitment and loyalty to the club and to the fans is the same as it was on my first day when I signed. I am looking forward to the challenge ahead,” said Torres in August 2010.

Ultimately, little could stop Torres’ £50million move to Chelsea. He later defended the circumstances surrounding his departure. “Everything was a mess. We were not good enough. In the middle of that, they finally sold the club,” he said in Simon Hughes’ 2016 book ‘Ring of Fire’, alluding to FSG taking control of Liverpool in 2010.

Speaking to the Spanish newspaper Marca in November 2011, Torres said: “Liverpool fans have stuck with the story the club gave and they don’t know the real story. I don’t feel bitter towards them, they will always be special for me.”

He elaborated on his exit in September 2020 to talkSPORT, underscoring that the club, under their old American owners, had fed him a series of false truths. “I was really happy at Liverpool but if you remember at that time the club was about to be sold and it was a very difficult situation,” Torres said.

“They sold all their best players, Javier Mascherano left, Xabi Alonso left, [manager] Rafa Benitez left, and they started bringing in young players so they needed maybe five, six, seven years to create a winning team again and I didn’t have that time because I left my home in Atletico to win trophies.

“Unfortunately there was many lies by the owners that Liverpool had at that time and in the end I needed to find my own way which was Chelsea who I thought would be the club who would offer me the chance of winning trophies.”

Torres never really hit the heights at Chelsea, despite winning Champions League with the club in 2012. In the years since, the Spanish star has returned to Anfield for a legends game and relations between fans and the player have gradually healed.

In 2019 he even claimed that he would “support Liverpool forever”. Saturday will see a clash of two Torres’ old clubs as Liverpool travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea. Both clubs will be looking for a win after both clubs lost in the Premier League last time out.

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