Will Chelsea or Liverpool make first move for Spanish striker?

According to the Kop, Fernando Torres ‘gets the ball and scores again’, although the Liverpool striker has been overshadowed at Euro 2008 by strike partner David Villa. The Valencia forward has scored four goals in two matches, thus prompting a raft of speculation about where the player will wind up next season. It’s almost certain that moneybags Chelsea would like to bring a player of this calibre to the Bridge, if only to prevent anyone else from having him. Liverpool also could be interested, although Rafael Benitez would be forced to forego the 4-5-1 formation in order to accomodate the pocket dynamo.

Of course, this is purely speculative for now, especially as The Press Association report that no bids have been forthcoming for Villa thus far. It is also rumoured that Real Madrid and Barcelona (surprise, surprise) have shown an interest in the hitman, although who wouldn’t want the hottest striking property in Europe right now!

Valencia technical secretary Juan Sanchez told Spanish newspaper Marca: “He’s our player, he’s under contract, and the coach is counting on him. We’re very calm and we’ve received no offer for him.”

Valencia president Agustin Morera added that rather than being worried by Villa’s eye-catching performances with Spain, the club should be proud of their player’s achievements.

He said: “He’s an icon who so far has managed to score four goals in the European Championship, something which very few players in the history of football have managed.

“We should be proud that he plays for Valencia, enjoy it, and when we read the newspapers from Barcelona, Madrid and the rest of the world remember that he’s our player.”

It’s clear that a bidding war could emerge for the player, with Valencia potentially cashing in to the tune of £50 million. After all, where the big guns are concerned, there is usually a bottomless pot of cash to splurge on players such as this. Would a hefty price tag rule out the likes of Liverpool, who would need to sell off a fair few players to afford this gem?