Chelsea’s Fernando Torres has joined AC Milan permanently. The Spaniard was in the first year of a two-year loan deal agreed between the two sides, but it has emerged that Milan have signed him permanently and the transfer will be completed by January 5th.
Chelsea’s official website stated, “Fernando Torres is to join AC Milan on a permanent basis.
“The striker moved to the San Siro on a two-year loan deal in August and on January 5 he will complete a permanent transfer to the Serie A side.
“Chelsea Football Club thanks Fernando for his service during the past four seasons and wishes him the very best for the future.”
With Torres struggling to find his form at both Chelsea and Milan in the last few seasons and the current season, the move doesn’t come as a surprise. Milan will immediately loan Torres to his boyhood club Atletico Madrid in exchange for Alessio Cerci.
Although Cerci has denied making any decisions on his future, it’s likely that he’ll move to Milan as he hasn’t featured regularly for the current La Liga holders. Torres’ torrid time in front of goal started since he left Liverpool and there was always a feeling that he’ll return to the club where it all started for him in order to get back to at least somewhere close to where he was a few years ago.
At 30, this is probably his last chance to start firing again, but he’ll have to work harder if he wants to get into the first team ahead of current Atletico striker Mario Mandzukic who has been in more than decent form after arriving from Bayern. However, if there is one man who could change Torres’ fortunes then it is definitely Diego Simeone. The Argentine knows Torres well after playing alongside him late in his career and can definitely get the best out of him as he has done with the others at Atletico.