Fernando Torres will wear the famous No.9 shirt for the second time in his Atletico Madrid career – the jersey that made the former Liverpool and Chelsea striker one of the most feared forwards in Europe.
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Mario Mandzukic was Atleti’s No.9 last season; however, his departure to Serie A champions Juventus has handed the Spaniard the chance to wear the famous number once more.
It was his performances in the No.9 shirt at the Estadio Vicente Calderon that earned him a £20m move to Anfield in August 2007, and Diego Simeone will certainly be hoping that he can rediscover his form next season as a result of the gesture from the club.
Torres tweeted his excitement over the news, which translates to, “With the permission of the great [Jose Eulogio] Garate, I will have the honour to wear the number 9 shirt”.
Con permiso del gran Garate tendré el honor de volver a vestir el 9 pic.twitter.com/Sj7PFFJVWL
— Fernando Torres (@Torres) June 24, 2015
The 31-year-old returned to Madrid in a two-year loan deal from AC Milan in January, and has shown glimpses of his former self. The Spanish striker scored against both Barcelona and Real Madrid last season, as some of the confidence he lost during his final seasons in the Premier League looks to be returning at his boyhood club.