Fernando Torres has completed a dramatic £50m switch to Chelsea from Liverpool FC in a move that smashes the record for a transfer between two British clubs.
Angry Liverpool fans burned their Torres football shirts outside Anfield as the Spaniard flew down to Stamford Bridge to seal the deal yesterday evening.
Newcastle FC’s Andy Carroll moved to Liverpool for £35m – another record-breaking fee for a British club – both contracts were signed last night before the transfer window closed at 11pm.
The previous British transfer record had been the £32m paid by Manchester City for the Brazilian Robinho.
Torres, 26, becomes the fourth most expensive signing in world football behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Kaka.
The star, who spent three-and-a-half years at Liverpool, signed a deal which keeps him at Stamford Bridge for five-and-a-half years.
He told his new club’s official website, www.chelseafc.com: “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.”
Torres sparked the transfer rush on Friday when he handed in a written transfer request after Chelsea had an initial offer of £35m turned down by the Reds.
The signings, coming while thousands of Britons are losing their jobs or facing severe pressure on their living standards, drew an angry reaction in some areas of the media.
Torres scored 65 goals in 102 Premier League matches for Liverpool but suffered a torrid last few months at Liverpool under Roy Hodgson, who was replaced by Kenny Dalglish last month.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea have also struggled to find the form that landed them the title last season.
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