Fernando Torres Says He Will Leave Atletico Madrid at End of the Season

Atletico Madrid forward Fernando Torres has confirmed he will leave the club at the end of the campaign. 

Torres' contract in the Spanish capital is set to expire at the end of the season, and speaking at a promotional event for LG (h/t Goal), he said he will be moving on in the summer to play his football elsewhere.

"When I joined Atletico I was 10 years old and it's my house," said the 34-year-old. "I was lucky to debut, to play, to score goals...it's always been my home. I can have many houses, but only one home. This is my last season at the club—it was not an easy decision, but under the circumstances it's maybe for the best. I want to continue playing somewhere else. I feel good."

After Torres' announcement, the club announced it will pay tribute to Torres in its final home match of the season.

Torres is in his second spell at Atletico and is already considered an icon by the club's supporters.

The striker emerged through the club's youth academy and became a star in the first team from an early age. He moved to Liverpool in 2007 and enjoyed three-and-a-half years at Anfield before joining Chelsea.

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While Torres won the UEFA Champions League, the FA Cup and the UEFA Europa League with the Blues, his form dropped off significantly before a move to Milan and then back to Atletico.

On the international stage Torres has also shone, helping Spain win the UEFA European Championship twice—he netted in both finals—and the FIFA World Cup.

The striker has never won a major honour with Atletico despite netting 125 goals for the club in all competitions. As noted by journalist David Cartlidge, he still has a chance to do so in the final stages of his career with them:

Although the return to Atletico has helped Torres find some form—he helped the team to the Champions League final in 2015-16—he's become a peripheral figure in Diego Simeone's squad this campaign, starting just two La Liga games.

The striker will be hoping to sign off at Atletico with a prize and Madrid are in fine shape to qualify for the semi-finals of the Europa League. They have a 2-0 lead over Sporting CP after the first leg of their quarter-final tussle.

Torres may no longer be the force he once was, but the football world be watching on with interest to see what the next chapter in his career will be.