Atletico would be interested in Fernando Torres but won’t pay a transfer fee.
La Liga champions Atletico Madrid are interested in bringing flop Chelsea striker Fernando Torres back to the club if his loan spell at AC Milan is cut short, according to respected Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague, but only if the Blues are willing to allow their £50 million investment leave Stamford Bridge on a free transfer.
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This could well be an acceptable outcome for Chelsea, who have already allowed Torres to leave the club on a two-year loan deal that would see him to the end of his Chelsea contract, and presumably release, anyway – so if he did return then it is plausible that Atletico could get their wish.
Reports have broken in recent days to suggest that Milan are considering terminating Torres’ loan deal early due to the player’s clear lack of form and confidence at the San Siro – and the tweet from Balague that confirmed the news that Atletico are interested will only stoke the fire when it comes to the Spaniard’s future:
On Torres: Atletico want his return. He is seriously considering it. But club won't a trasnfer fee. Should Chelsea let him go for free?
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) December 15, 2014
Signed for £50 million from Liverpool when the Spanish international was almost at the peak of his powers, Torres never quite settled into life at Stamford Bridge and became the butt of many jokes for his missed chances and lack of form that made the huge fee splashed out by Chelsea look absurd.