Liverpool Transfer News: Fernando Torres to Remain with AC Milan in January

The goals have dried up at Anfield, but it seems that a former hero will not be given the call to revitalise Liverpool's desperate attack.

Rumours have surfaced that Brendan Rodgers might be interested in bringing Fernando Torres back to Merseyside, but AC Milan's club administrator says that the Italian club wish to retain the striker.

Luca Bruno/Associated Press

Adriano Galliani has told Sky Italia he believes the Spain international will stay in Italy with his new club, rejecting the chance to perform a nostalgic dance with his former team, per Sky Sports:

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I don't think he [Torres] will leave, even if the market is unpredictable. Torres has been unlucky. He has struggled with injuries and is coming from a different league. We need to be patient. He is important and will probably return (to top form.)

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Torres left Liverpool almost four years ago when he joined Chelsea for a then-British transfer fee record of £50 million in the January transfer window. The former Atletico Madrid player had gained iconic status at the Anfield club, scoring 81 goals in 142 appearances during his stay, per Sky Sports.

But in his final months at Liverpool, Torres was a player who was clearly losing his powers—suffering from injuries which compromised his form.

Chelsea's purchase of the player for an incredible fee seemed preposterous at the time and has proved to be one of the worst moves in recent history—with Torres unable to find the prolific edge that made him such a hit at his previous two teams.

It seems that bringing Torres back to Liverpool would be a huge step in the wrong direction for the Reds after the pain felt at the loss of Luis Suarez. 

Indeed, it was Suarez himself who helped fans get over the transfer of Torres—though many believed the forward was past his best and had lost his allure. 

Tim Hales/Associated Press

And Bleacher Report's Liverpool writer Jack Lusby recently dismissed his favourite team's links with Torres, outlining in his blog that it "must not happen":

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Torres, who had cut such a disillusioned figure at Anfield for the months previous, clearly did not want to be at the club, but now, when his stock is at its lowest, why should Liverpool welcome back their once-formidable striker?

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Torres has become somewhat a figure of fun amongst football fans, and a return to Liverpool—when the club are struggling themselves—is not a good fit when evaluated purely on the surface.

He has become more famous for his misses than his goals in recent times, highlighted by Bleacher Report as the striker once again missed the target in spectacular fashion for Milan:

Eugene Hoshiko/Associated Press

There is no doubt that during his most successful period with Liverpool, Torres was in the top five strikers on the planet. He was an athletic talent who possessed both confidence and pace—and he scored goals at an alarming rate.

Many will remember the duels he had with former Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic, with the world-class centre-back finding it impossible to control the marauding Torres.

But those days have gone, and as Lusby eloquently states, the move must not happen—especially if Liverpool wish to progress.

Torres' days at the top of the game have gone, and he will struggle to make an impact at Milan, forcing Chelsea to find another way to offload their most expensive flop.