Fernando Torres will become the world's most expensive footballer if he leaves Liverpool in the summer.

 

Manchester City and Chelsea have made Torres their number one target but would have to splash out more than £140m in transfer fees and wages to land the Spanish superstar. Not only has Torres' value eclipsed the £80m Real Madrid paid for Cristiano Ronaldo, he can anticipate a salary offer of around £15m a year given the current inflated levels for the most wanted players.

It would require the biggest financial package in football history to secure a deal

City offered Brazilian Kaka a staggering £280k a week in their ill-fated bid a year ago, and Torres would comfortably match that.

Liverpool have made it clear they won't listen to any offers for their star striker and manager Rafa Benitez recently insisted he'd resign if the player was sold against his will.

But Liverpool also know matters will be out of their hands unless the club attracts investment and finish in the top four.

After years fighting against the financial troubles caused by the American ownership, the next six months will finally bring matters to a head at Anfield one way or the other.

If Liverpool don't sort themselves out off the pitch, their rivals intend to capitalise and are now openly targeting their most prized assets.

New City boss Roberto Mancini was appointed partly because his Arab owners believe he can assist in luring the top names to Eastlands.They didn't believe Mark Hughes had the same clout when it came to attracting a player of Torres' calibre.

They think the Italian has the aura required to tempt such a player, but realise only by ousting Liverpool from the top four will they have any hope of doing business.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has also been pursing Torres for the last two seasons and believes Liverpool will be more vulnerable than ever unless Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr get out of the Merseyside club.

Torres became the quickest Liverpool player to reach 50 goals earlier this week as he kick-started his club's bid to retain its Champions League status.

Sport of the World revealed last weekend how the striker's ongoing commitment to the Merseyside giants is conditional on the club proving it can continue to match his ambitions.

Kop fans have been reassured by the Spaniard's determination to help Liverpool recover their position and make interest in him irrelevant.

But the only way they can do that longer-term is by securing massive investment to ensure next season the target is winning the Premier League rather than 'managing the debt,' as Benitez recently suggested.

Benitez has 'guaranteed' Liverpool will finish in the top four. His confidence is geared at reassuring his star striker that this season's onfield problems are a one-off and warning Manchester City and Chelsea to keep their hands in their pockets. 

@'News of the Screws' 

140 million quid and an annual wage of 15 million quid. 

Me and the Spacebubs are gonna be out practicing footie ALL day tomorrow!
(And I am going to be his manager!!!)