Fernando Torres On The Verge Of Joining AC Milan, Say Reports

Over the past few days, there has been growing speculation regarding the immediate future of Chelsea striker Fernando Torres.

Yesterday, AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani confirmed his club’s interest in the 30-year-old Spaniard: “Our goal is to take a great striker. Fernando Torres? He is a great striker. Let’s see if he comes or someone else. We are actively working.”

Today, it is being reported that an agreement has been reached between Torres and AC Milan, with the striker set to join the Serie A club on a two-year contract. All that remains for the transfer to be complete is for Torres to secure a severance package from Chelsea and terminate his contract “by mutual consent”.

Torres joined the Premier League club in January 2011 for a then-British transfer record fee of £50 million and his contract currently runs until 2016.

It was first believed that the Spain international would be sent to Italy on loan. But reports in La Gazzetta dello Sport and Sky Italia are stating the transfer will be a permanent deal.

Milan made Torres their number one target to replace Mario Balotelli and have met the player’s wage demands. Speculation is the Serie A club are offering the striker £7 million-per-year to switch to the San Siro; a slight drop from his current annual salary of £9 million at Chelsea.

The former-Liverpool and Atletico Madrid striker has scored 20 times in 110 appearances with the London club. Prior to his arrival at Stamford Bridge, the Spain international was a prolific goalscorer, scoring 65 goals in 102 appearances for Liverpool.

Following last night’s news that newly-signed striker Diego Costa had suffered a hamstring injury, there was speculation that the transfer of Torres to Milan would be scrapped. But it appears Chelsea want the deal to get done.