Spain international striker Fernando Torres will complete a permanent move to AC Milan on January 5 before rejoining Atletico Madrid, according to Sky Sports’ Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.
Since joining Milan on a two-year loan deal from Chelsea in the summer, Torres, 30, has scored just one goal in 10 Serie A appearances for the Rossoneri.
Torres has lost his place in Milan’s first-team to Jérémy Menez, who has already bagged eight goals and one assist in 16 league matches in 2014/15.
Recent reports have suggested a swap deal between Atletico and Milan, involving the aforementioned Torres and Alessio Cerci could be on the cards, and Balague expects this deal to go through in the New Year.
Balague told Sky Sports News HQ: “He is going to AC Milan – it will be announced on the 5 January. But around that time it will also be announced that he will be going on loan to Atletico, for perhaps 18 months, that’s what I’m hearing.
“The reason why everything is being done this way is that they [Atletico] did not have the money to get Torres transfered but they will have him on loan.
“AC Milan will be happy to have Cerci on loan. So what is eventually going to be is a swap of loan deals. Cerci is going to go Milan, and Torres is going to go to Atletico.
“Torres is a legend there – he was at Atletico for seven seasons, five of them as captain of the team. When he left he said ‘I will come back’. For him I think it will help him rediscover his love of football.”
Cerci, who joined Atletico Madrid from Torino for an undisclosed fee in the summer, has score one goal in nine appearances in all competitions for Atleti this term.
Rodgers rules out Balotelli loan
Liverpool F.C. manager Brendan Rodgers has insisted out-of-favour striker Mario Balotelli will not be loaned out during the January transfer window.
Balotelli joined Liverpool from AC Milan for £16 million in the summer, but has gone on to score just two goals in 15 appearances for the Merseysiders.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Premier League encounter against Swansea City, Rodgers said: “It’s not something that I have even thought about to be honest.
“We’ve had a lot of games this season in a lot of competitions.
“At this moment in time the key for me is trying to keep the squad together.”
Liverpool (7-4-7) started Raheem Sterling up front against Burnley on Boxing Day, and many expect Rodgers to do the same versus the Swans at Anfield on Monday.
“I think Raheem and anyone with that type of pace will always stretch teams and will always make defenders think,” Rodgers added.
“He’s a different type and not your natural number nine.
“For me it’s more about the position than the player. For the team to function well, that pace in the team is very important for us.”
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