Fernando Torres

[Buzzo]

Torres has always seemed like a good bloke. Given what was going on with the club and the characters involved it is hard to really blame him for leaving at the time, disappointing though it was. It's equally easy to imagine the club working the media against him.

We effectively replaced him with Suarez (let's forget about the other fella) so it all worked out in the end.

[BillobShaisley]

And let us not forget that he'd gone ****. We had a huge offer and he happily put in the request to ensure we got the full fee. How and why he became a 'traitor' was always lost on me.

We bought him, had the best of him and exploited him and the chavs when he left. Top LFC servant!

[Muddled]

That's only with hindsight though. I can't imagine many people thought he'd be so spectacularly **** from then on out; we initially thought we had lost an exceptional player in his prime.

With the benefit of time you're most definitely right and we did exceptionally well over the whole thing.

[dom9]

Fernando Torres reveals Steven Gerrard told him to leave Liverpool FC

Former Liverpool FC striker Fernando Torres has claimed he left Anfield on the advice of club captain Steven Gerrard.

Torres spent three and a half seasons on Merseyside, scoring 81 goals – but would move to Chelsea in January 2011 in a controversial £50m move.

His decision ruined his relationship with many Reds fans, although he was forgiven by the crowd when selected as part of Gerrard’s team at the All-Star Game in March.

But Torres, now at Atletico Madrid, has revealed it was Gerrard who told him to leave the club when Chelsea came calling.

Torres said: “He talked with me a lot and even when it was said I was leaving [Liverpool] he said: ‘think about yourself and do what’s best for you because you’ve seen how people are leaving and it’s time. You have nothing to prove’.

“He changed my way of seeing things and showed me that I could get much higher than what I had always thought. I’ll never find a team mate like him, I’m sure.”

The 31-year-old has also backed Gerrard to be a success in Major League Soccer when he joins LA Galaxy in July.

“Of all the great players I’ve played alongside he is the best and I still think he has a lot to offer.,” added Torres.

“Your body slows down as you get older but the technical ability still remains. The MLS is a much slower pace than England so I expect him to be very successful over there.”

Meh. I can't be ****ed going over old ground yet again, but how old is this article? Gerrard's been at Galaxy for over a year.

[Buzzo]

Meh. I can't be ****ed going over old ground yet again, but how old is this article? Gerrard's been at Galaxy for over a year.

Responding to this requires going over some old ground?

[dom9]

Responding to this requires going over some old ground?

Well yeah. It's turned into an "I always thought he was a good guy" opinion justification thread. I said that from the start, so I don't feel I need to ever cover it again. But I just have.

But anyway, how old is that article?

[Buzzo]

Well yeah. It's turned into an "I always thought he was a good guy" opinion justification thread. I said that from the start, so I don't feel I need to ever cover it again. But I just have.

But anyway, how old is that article?

I have no idea! I'm just here for the quips

[Leyton388]

There were £50m reasons why we got rid of him.

[Vermilion]

But only one reason that matters, HE wanted to leave to play for Chelsea.

[rodo]

Yeah but he was ****ing awesome for them first three seasons

[Red_Polo]

His choice to leave. Whatever came out of the club was only ever echoed through his own words. You acted as you wished, just live with it instead of trying to find redemption through bull****.

[S-RED]

There were £50m reasons why we got rid of him.

And there are 35million reasons i wish we hadn't......

[kingfunk]

I loved Torres and will never say a bad word about him

[cream]

Meh, he wanted to to leave. So did Alonso, Mascherano and Suarez. Even Gerrard left the the club in the end too, **** happens, get over it.

[ntto]

not only did he want to leave, his body language on and off the pitch was terrible at the time.

The reaction of the players when he left too didn't suggest that he had been pushed out - step forward Mr Dagger