Chelsea striker Fernando Torres has not ruled out a return to former-club Atletico Madrid
Chelsea striker Fernando Torres has revealed that he is not ruling out a switch back to his first club Atletico Madrid.
The Spanish international left Atleti to join Liverpool in 2007, but it now seems he would receptive to a return to the Vicente Calderon in the near future.
Disappointing
In truth Fernando Torres has been disappointing for Chelsea since his British record £50million move from Liverpool in January 2011.
The Spaniard has scored just 43 times in 161 appearances for the Blues in that time, despite arriving at Stamford Bridge as one of the most highly-rated forwards in European football.
Torres had displayed a slight decline prior to his move to the Bridge, but he was expected to regain his best form playing for Chelsea. Instead he has struggled in front of goal and has been labelled as a ‘flop’ by many.
Speculation
Torres has two years left on his Chelsea contract, but with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho making no secret of his desire to bring in a high-profile striker in the summer, Torres could very well be heading through the Stamford Bridge exit door.
Ironically the striker who seems most likely to head to Stamford Bridge this summer is Atletico’s Spanish international striker Diego Costa. The Brazilian-born striker has a £32million release clause in his contract and looks set to leave Atleti this summer, despite his club enjoying a fine campaign.
Maybe some sort of swap deal is in the offing here. Costa is wanted by Chelsea and Torres has not ruled out a return to Madrid. However, what is not clear to me is whether Atletico actually want the 30-year-old to return to the club.
Admiration
When asked about a possible return to Atletico and working with boss Diego Simeone he told AS: “In football you never know. You can’t be sure where you’re going to be tomorrow or in a week or in 10 years.
“I have a lot of admiration for Cholo (Simeone) from when we were team-mates. He helped me a lot and taught me to be captain. He taught me many things in our seasons together at Atleti.
“I always want to work alongside people I admire. I admired from the outside Rafael Benitez and had the opportunity to work with him. It was the same with Jose Mourinho and Luis Aragones”
He later revealed: “The twists and turns of life are unknown. I don’t have to meet Simeone either here (at Chelsea) or with Atleti. Who would have said I would work with Benitez at two English teams?”
Unknown
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has done a fantastic job at the Vicente Calderon. Not only has the Argentine took Atleti to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, his team are also right in the race for La Liga, just three points behind arch-rivals Real Madrid and odds of 10/1 to clinch the Spanish title.
Simeone’s achievements have not gone unnoticed, especially in the corridors of power at Old Trafford. The Argentinian boss is currently one of the favourites to be the next United boss, if David Moyes does leave the club in the summer.
Simeone has made it known that he would like to work in the Premier League or Serie A next, which could be a hint that he may well be on his way to England this summer. Even if Torres does roll up at the Calderon this summer, the man he so admires may not even still be at the club.
Move
Fernando Torres was once one of the most feared strikers in world football and once had a reputation for going through defences like a curry through the stomach of an IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) sufferer.
However, at Chelsea Torres is now more pitied, rather than feared. Maybe a move back to Spain and Atletico Madrid could see the 30-year-old rediscover a touch of the old magic that we saw at Liverpool.
If he stays at Chelsea I am afraid he is only likely to warm the next season, as a high-profile striker, probably Costa, occupies the lone front man role for Chelsea next season. Maybe this summer would be a good time for Torres to say despedida (goodbye) to Stamford Bridge and return home to Madrid.
Could Fernando Torres return to Atletico Madrid this summer?
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