Chelsea FC Transfer Rumours: Liverpool Reject Fernando Torres Transfer Request

Liverpool Football Club have rejected a written transfer request submitted by Fernando Torres, according to their official site. Torres, 26, has been the subject of a recent approach by Chelsea, who apparently bid £35M for his services earlier this week and are apparently readying themselves for an increased bid of £40M plus young striker Daniel Sturridge. Now he wants out. Rumblings that Torres had requested that formal talks with Chelsea be opened merely encouraged abuse from enraged Koppites, but now the club have been forced to admit that their Spanish talisman wants out:

Fernando Torres tonight submitted a written transfer request, which has been rejected by Liverpool. 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.

Although that may seem to be the end of things, it's probably not. Transfer requests can be rejected, but once that's brought into the public eye a move is bound to happen sooner than later. It's now fairly clear that Torres wants to join Chelsea (we'd love to have you, 'nando, despite being leery at the price*) and with Chelsea making stratospherically high bids, I think it's pretty obvious that they want him too. It's very difficult to stand in the way of something like this for long, and if Liverpool are too obstinate here they risk angering one of their key players.

You'd have to think this is the beginning of the end for Torres at Liverpool, but it's bizarre that the club are unwilling to even talk - Torres is an elite player but the amount of cash Chelsea seem willing to deploy are frankly eye-watering. Can Liverpool afford to turn this down and annoy Torres at the same time? They almost have to open up talks at this point, from where I'm standing.

*Except the Eyeball Kid, but he's an odd one.