“Fernando Torres tonight submitted a written transfer request, which has been rejected by Liverpool,” Liverpool said in a statement on its website.

“Fernando is under a long-term contract and the Club expects him to honour the commitment he made to Liverpool FC and its supporters when he signed the agreement.”

Torres, 26, is under contract at Liverpool until 2013. However he is widely reported to have a buy-out clause in his deal which will allow him to leave if another team matches his £50 million valuation.

Chelsea had been told that the Spanish international was not for sale, Liverpool said in a statement on its website on Friday.

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

Chelsea is in need of a new forward to help its faltering title defense after slipping from top to fourth in the standings, 10 points behind leader Manchester United.

“Chelsea have made an offer for Fernando which has been rejected,” Liverpool announced late on Thursday. “The player is not for sale.”

Liverpool’s American owner John Henry is not prepared to let his top player leave, with the team showing signs of a recovery since Kenny Dalglish returned to the manager’s job at the start of the month.

Consecutive victories have lifted Liverpool away from the relegation up to seventh – nine points behind Chelsea in the final Champions League qualification spot.

The bid for Torres was put at 35 million pounds ($56 million) by British media, although the World Cup-winning Spain striker has only found the net nine times for Liverpool since returning from South Africa.

But three of those goals have come since Dalglish replaced Roy Hodgson for a second stint as Liverpool manager.

Torres joined Liverpool for a club-record 20.3 million pounds (then $40.6 million) in 2007 from Atletico Madrid and is under contract until 2013.

Despite Liverpool’s struggles this season and the lack of Champions League football, Torres committed his future to the team earlier this month.

“My head is in Liverpool and on helping save our season. I am professional and I always fulfill my deals,” Torres said. “I haven’t considered leaving, although in football that depends on the club.”

Source: sport24.co.za

Kenny Dalglish still haven’t been able to deliver in his new job as Blackpool beat Liverpool 2-1 at Bloomfield Road on Wednesday to complete a remarkable Premier League double over the 18-times champions.

The victory lifted Blackpool to ninth with 28 points while Liverpool, who brought in interim appointment Dalglish on Saturday to replace Roy Hodgson, are 13th on 25 after their eighth defeat in 11 away games.

Having seen Liverpool fall behind within two minutes of his first game in charge as they lost 1-0 to Manchester United in the FA Cup on Sunday, Dalglish had the opposite experience as he was on his feet cheering three minutes into Wednesday’s game.

The impressive Martin Kelly slipped a pass into the path of Fernando Torres and the Spaniard looked just like his old self as he lashed in a shot from a tight angle.

Blackpool hit back nine minutes later when Gary Taylor-Fletcher forced his way into the box and finished neatly.

Manager Ian Holloway’s team, who stunned Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield in October, again proved they have no fear of reputations — a quality they have shown throughout their amazing first season back in the top-flight for 39 years.

Both sides missed chances but it was Blackpool who finally found the target after 69 minutes when poor defending allowed DJ Campbell to head beyond Pepe Reina for his fifth goal in five games.

Source: supersport.co.za

Pic: soccernews.com

The Spaniard was back to his predatory best with two well-taken goals in the first half, inspiring Liverpool to their third successive league win following their dismal start to the season.

Arsenal failed to take advantage of the leaders’ slip, however, as they were beaten 1-0 at home by Newcastle United courtesy of Andy Carroll’s header late in the first half.

Manchester City did gain ground with Italian striker Mario Balotelli scoring both goals in a comfortable 2-0 win at West Bromwich Albion before being sent off in the second half.

The results squeezed the top of the standings with Chelsea still leading on 25 points, two ahead of Manchester United, who beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 on Saturday.

Arsenal and Man City have 20 with Newcastle up to fifth on 17 points. Liverpool, in the bottom three a week ago, jumped to ninth on 15th.

It was just like old times for Liverpool with Anfield rocking and Torres ripping through Chelsea’s defence.

The Spaniard, gradually regaining his sharpness, struck after 11 minutes when he collected a lovely ball from Dirk Kuyt and tucked it beyond Petr Cech and he doubled the lead just before halftime with a brilliant curler after cutting inside.

Chelsea, who had conceded only three goals in their previous 10 league games, upped their game in the second half with Didier Drogba joining the fray.

They generally controlled possession for the rest of the match but a late shot against the bar by Nicolas Anelka was their best effort.

“We are climbing the table, playing better every day,” Torres told Sky Sports.

“We needed time to work with the new manager and the new players. Now we have to show we can play with the same intensity and quality against the teams in the middle of the table.”

Arsenal dominated at The Emirates but though they twice hit the bar through Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott they lacked the killer finish.

Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was at fault for the goal when he was outjumped by Carroll, whose header looped into the empty net.

“It was a big disappointment because our performance was not good enough,” said manager Arsene Wenger. “We knew on set pieces we couldn’t afford these kind of mistakes.”

Manchester City had suffered a mini-crisis when they followed league defeats by Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers by losing to Lech Poznan in the Europa League.

However, they were always in control on Sunday and deservedly handed West Brom their first home defeat to lift their spirits ahead of the league derby against Manchester United on Wednesday.

Around £50 million worth of attacking talent combined for City’s win as David Silva had a hand in both Balotelli’s goals after 20 and 26 minutes.

The hot-headed striker spoiled his day, though, when he received two bookings in the space of three minutes after needless fouls. “We played a fantastic game, my players played football so well,” said City boss Roberto Mancini, who added he was considering appealing Balotelli’s red card.

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

The 26-year-old’s winner was his first goal since the win over West Brom on August 29.

It came at the end of a crazy five minutes in which Sotirios Kyrgiakos had given the Reds a lead only to see it cancelled out by a Jamie Carragher own goal.

Roy Hodgson made seven changes from the side that earned a creditable draw in Napoli on Thursday, with rested stars such as Steven Gerrard, Raul Meireles and Torres back on the teamsheet.

They helped Liverpool make a lively start, with the hosts almost earning a lead with eight minutes on the clock when Torres split open Blackburn’s defence with an angled ball to Maxi Rodriguez. The Argentinean’s cut-back was met by Joe Cole, whose effort was in turn saved by the legs of Paul Robinson. Meireles pounced on the rebound but fired into the hoardings on the stretch.

Minutes later it took a crucial header from Phil Jones to deny Torres a free nod at goal six yards out.

The home side were playing with a confidence often missing this season. Next, Lucas sprayed a delightful ball down the right to Carragher, whose cross was directed wide by Torres.

At times it looked like Blackburn were playing into a head wind as Liverpool hemmed them in, with Gerrard, Maxi and Meireles all finding gaps in which to play their football.

Kyrgiakos was next to force Robinson into a save with a bullet header from Gerrard’s corner.

When Blackburn did offer a rare threat on 25 minutes, Liverpool’s break was almost devastating, Reina bowling out to Gerrard, who lent the ball to Lucas and Meireles before forcing a superb block from former England goalkeeper Robinson.

The Reds were pressing high, winning everything in the air and creating chances. The only thing missing was a goal.

That nearly came with Gerrard’s delicious cross into the box on 29 minutes. Lucas and Meireles both attempted contact but the ball was eventually cleared by Martin Olsson.

Blackburn’s riposte was to obstruct Pepe Reina while launching high balls into the box, a tactic not aided by the enforced substitution of Steven Nzonzi on half-an-hour, the lanky midfielder being replaced by Vincenzo Grella.

The visitors had Michel Salgado to thank for their half-time clean sheet, the ex-Real Madrid defender getting his head in the way of a Meireles whack that was rocketing towards the top corner.

The final chances of the half fell to South American duo Lucas and Maxi: the Brazilian heading narrowly wide after Kyrgiakos helped on a Gerrard corner; the Argentinean failing to connect with the skipper’s superb ball into the area.

Liverpool started the second half as they finished the first, only this time they immediately made their pressure count. Blackburn had not looked convincing from corners all afternoon and were made to pay for their dithering when an unmarked Kyrgiakos powered a header into the Kop goal via an irrelevant touch from Olsson.

The lead lasted less than three minutes, however, as substitute Benjani beat the otherwise excellent Martin Skrtel before crossing to Diouf. The objectionable winger’s shot was blocked on the line by Meireles, only for the clearance to hit Carragher and ricochet into the net.

Heads might have dropped, but a remarkable period of play was not over yet – and on 53 minutes the Reds were back in front when Torres volleyed home a wonderful centre from Cole. It was the Spaniard’s fifth goal in four appearances against Allardyce’s men.

Kyrgiakos might have got a second with another header midway inside the second period, which transpired to be the last serious opportunity of the game.

Source: liverpoolfc.tv

It is the second successive season the Spaniard has been top, while Anfield team-mate Steven Gerrard was second in the top 10 list compiled by SportingiD.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney moved up one place to third.

Figures are based on the number of official club shirts sold domestically and internationally.

Arsenal duo Cesc Fabregas and Andrey Arshavin were fourth and fifth, followed by Chelsea pair Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

Former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo had been second in last season’s list but unsurprisingly his name does not appear following his world record transfer to Real Madrid last year.

Top 10 names printed on shirts 2009/10 season:

1. Torres
2. Gerrard
3. Rooney
4. Fabregas
5. Arshavin
6. Lampard
7. Drogba
8. Owen
9. Carragher
10. Tevez

Top 10 names printed on shirts 2008/09 season:

1. Torres
2. Ronaldo
3. Gerrard
4. Rooney
5. Berbatov
6. Fabregas
7. Arshavin
8. Walcott
9. Nani
10. Lampard

Top 10 names printed on shirts 2007/08 season:

1. Ronaldo
2. Gerrard
3. Torres
4. Rooney
5. Fabregas
6. Tevez
7. Van Persie
8. Carragher
9. Adebayor
10. Nani

Source: sport24.co.za

Fernando Torres is glad to be back at Liverpool after his World Cup-winning summer with Spain, dismissing suggestions that he was seeking a transfer in a bid to find Champions League football.

“I am really happy to be back, really happy to stay with all my team mates. My commitment and loyalty to the club and to the fans is the same as it was on my first day when I signed,” the striker told the club’s website (www.liverpoolfc.tv) after his first training session.

“I felt at home from the first day (I signed). I feel the fans love me and everyone knows I am really happy here and really happy to play at Anfield.

With Roy Hodgson taking over as manager from Rafa Benitez and the club in the middle of takeover talks, Torres said he is focused entirely on bringing trophies to Anfield.

“I really appreciated the fact that Roy came out to see me while I was on my holidays. He told me about his plans for the club and what he wanted from me and I appreciated that. I hope he will be the right man to reach the targets of Liverpool and I am really looking forward to working with him.”

Torres, who struggled for form during the World Cup and suffered a thigh injury late in the final, said he was training on his own at the moment but was hopeful of returning to full fitness in time for the club’s first league game against Arsenal on August 15.

“I have less than two weeks to get ready but I felt really good in my first session back with the physios and the doctor,” he said.

“I will try to be fit as soon as possible and I am looking forward to playing at Anfield again. I’m excited about the new season and about the targets of the club.”

Torres said he was also looking forward to working with England midfielder Joe Cole, a summer signing from Chelsea.

“I think Joe is exactly the kind of player we need to improve the history of our club,” he said. “We are keeping our best players and so it’s nice to be back with them. Hopefully we can play together as soon as possible.

“He is the kind of player I like to play with and the kind of player who can take the team to a higher level. His passing is unbelievable so hopefully he can start the season well because I am sure he will be a key player for us.”

Source: supersport.co.za

Pic: liverpoolfc.tv

The striker looked to be near full fitness in training at Spain’s base in Potchefstroom on Sunday as he continued his recovery from the knee surgery he had in April but caution seems to be the priority for the coach.

“I don’t think he’ll play the first match, although he is not ruled out either,” Del Bosque said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster Telecinco late on Saturday.

The former Real Madrid coach was more upbeat about Andres Iniesta, who tweaked a thigh muscle in Tuesday’s crushing 6-0 win over Poland in a friendly in Murcia.

Creative midfielder Iniesta, a key member of the side, spent about half of Sunday’s training session playing one-touch with his team mates before continuing his recuperation apart from the group as they practised attacking on one half of the pitch.

“I think he (Iniesta) could be available for the Switzerland match,” Del Bosque told Telecinco.

Another Spain injury concern, midfielder Cesc Fabregas, told a post-training news conference on Sunday his recovery from a cracked bone in his leg was proceeding well.

“Every day I’m getting better and stronger,” said the Arsenal captain, who missed the end of the Premier League season.

“I am feeling really confident and I can almost say that I am 100 percent,” he added. “The good thing is that I am training with the team, I have not lost anything due to the physical problems and that’s the best thing that can happpen.”

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

“We feel it’s our chance and we want to take advantage of it. We feel it’s our turn and we want to continue to make history,” said Torres, who scored the winning goal in Spain’s Euro 2008 victory over Germany.

“The team is fundamentally the same (as in 2008),” he said.

Liverpool striker Torres, who underwent knee surgery in April, said that he remained “cautious but optimistic” about his fitness for the tournament which gets underway on June 11.

Spain qualified for the World Cup by winning all of their 10 qualifying matches and are in Group H with Switzerland, Honduras and Chile.

If they get past the first round they will meet one of the two top teams from Group G – Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast and North Korea.

Source + Pic: sport24.co.za

The Daily Mail, splashing the bombshell across its back page, claims that ‘preliminary discussions have already taken place, with the outcome of those meetings positive enough to convince Roman Abramovich that he will beat his big-spending rivals at Eastlands to the 26-year-old Spaniard’.

Manchester City, whose manager Roberto Mancini publicly confirmed his interest in signing Torres two weeks ago, had previously been thought favourites to sign Torres were he to leave Anfield. Fleet Street continues to maintain that the Spaniard is considering his future at the club despite signing a new deal last year.

Concern about Torres’ intentions have been further complicated by claims in the past week that the striker may have lost faith in Rafa Benitez.

Following the suggestion made by The Daily Mirror that ‘Torres is no longer an admirer of Benitez’, The Sun reports this morning that ‘Torres’ relationship with the manager has cooled to such an extent there is now more chance of him staying if Benitez goes’.

Source: football365.com