I joined Chelsea from Liverpool shortly after signing contract - I was told too many lies

Few transfers between Premier League clubs have been as famous and as controversial as Fernando Torres' switch from Liverpool to Chelsea.

Torres swiftly rose to become an Anfield favourite following his 2007 arrival. His opening two campaigns witnessed him net 50 times across merely 84 outings.

Nevertheless, his path towards legendary status at Anfield was curtailed when he chose to join the Blues on transfer deadline day in January 2011. Despite penning fresh terms with the Reds less than two years prior, the Spaniard departed in frantic late-night circumstances as the window's closure loomed.

He subsequently alleged the club had "lied" to him, setting the stage for his acrimonious exit. Torres was regarded as amongst the world's finest forwards during his initial period at Liverpool and the club sought to ensure his contract reflected this standing.

The 2008/09 campaign witnessed the Reds mount a Premier League title challenge, where they eventually finished runners-up to Manchester United by a mere four points, as per the Mirror.

The Reds appeared positioned for another attempt. In 2009, Torres put pen to paper on fresh terms at Anfield, with Liverpool moving to enhance conditions on what constituted a six-year agreement reportedly valued at approximately £70,000 per week when the striker initially signed in 2007.

Then-Liverpool boss, and former Chelsea manager, Rafael Benitez was undoubtedly thrilled. "Fernando is one of the best strikers in the game and, at his age, can only get better," he declared following Torres' contract extension.

Torres himself was buzzing about clinching the Reds' first championship since 1990. "I am not thinking, 'Can we win the title?' I am thinking, 'We have to win the title'" he said.

His new contract reportedly saw him pocket £110,000 per week. Regarding an extension, there wasn't one, apart from the possibility of an additional year until 2014.

Nevertheless, merely 18 months afterwards, he would be donning Chelsea blue. Sections of Liverpool supporters have backed Torres regarding his Anfield departure as just 12 months after penning his fresh contract, Liverpool was experiencing serious upheaval.

Benitez had departed as boss and was succeeded by Roy Hodgson. Fenway Sports Group (FSG) were amid wresting control of the club from former owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, whilst key players including Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano had departed.

Nevertheless, Torres restated his dedication to Liverpool. "My commitment and loyalty to the club and to the fans is the same as it was on my first day when I signed. I am looking forward to the challenge ahead," said Torres in August 2010.

Eventually, nothing could prevent Torres' £50million switch to Chelsea. He subsequently justified the circumstances surrounding his exit.

"Everything was a mess. We were not good enough. In the middle of that, they finally sold the club," he said in Simon Hughes' 2016 book 'Ring of Fire', referring to FSG assuming ownership of Liverpool in 2010.

In a candid interview with Spanish newspaper Marca back in November 2011, Torres said: "Liverpool fans have stuck with the story the club gave and they don't know the real story. I don't feel bitter towards them, they will always be special for me."

Further shedding light on his departure during a talkSPORT interview in September 2020, he emphasised that the club's then American owners had misled him with a series of untruths. "I was really happy at Liverpool but if you remember at that time the club was about to be sold and it was a very difficult situation," Torres explained.

"They sold all their best players, Javier Mascherano left, Xabi Alonso left, [manager] Rafa Benitez left, and they started bringing in young players so they needed maybe five, six, seven years to create a winning team again and I didn't have that time because I left my home in Atletico to win trophies.

"Unfortunately there were many lies by the owners that Liverpool had at that time and in the end I needed to find my own way which was Chelsea who I thought would be the club who would offer me the chance of winning trophies."

Torres never truly reached his peak at the London club. Although, he scored 45 goals in 172 appearances and his time at Stamford Bridge was punctuated by silverware as he won the Champions League and FA Cup with Chelsea in 2012, compared to his trophy drought while at Liverpool.

In recent years, the Spanish star has made a return to Liverpool for a legends match, and the relationship between him and the fans has gradually mended.

In 2019 he even declared that he would "support Liverpool forever". He has also claimed that he "will be in debt to them forever" when it comes to the Chelsea faithful and the support they have given him over the years.

Saturday will witness a meeting between two of Torres' former sides as Liverpool make the trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea. Both teams will be desperate for three points following defeats in their most recent Premier League outings.