Fernando Torres Transfer Saga: What Chelsea, Liverpool and the World Can Expect

The last-minute triangle transfer, or angle-bracket transfer I should say, of Fernando Torres, Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez will go down amongst the best and most-talked about January transfer sagas there was, if not of any transfer saga.

Liverpool fans' will have mixed emotions on the situation, probably a bit of content after Suarez's first goal, but no doubt a feeling of bitter betrayal. Newcastle are rolling around in an luxurious, inevitable profit, and Chelsea are feeling their gears being to turn again after signing Torres. However, there is more to this story than meets the eye.

What can we really expect from this transfer saga?

1. Chelsea purchased a dud.

Yes. Fernando Torres is no-doubt a world-class player, but at Chelsea he will be good for a few goals and a cheap buy for the next club looking for a high-profile striker.

Torres is coming into a well-established attacking football team with an already established goal scorer. No matter how potent a player, even Torres, reproducing his best form is difficult when coming into an established team like Chelsea.

Torres is going to find life difficult being Chelsea’s No. 2 striker. There is no doubt Torres will be play alongside Drogba, but Torres is not a second striker. He is a focal point, and Torres feeds on being the center of the attack. He is coming into a Chelsea team that already has Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Nicolas Anelka, Florent Malouda and even Salamon Kalou, who will most likely be leaving Chelsea due to a lack of playing time.

On top of that, Torres is injury prone. He has yet to complete a full English season of football without a major nagging injury. In fact, in Torres last two seasons he has only started 20 Barclay Premier League games.

One could argue that his games-to-goal ratio is unmatchable in the Premier League. Truth is, his ratio is almost unmatchable anywhere in the world.

But, let us not forget that Liverpool found goals hard to come by without Torres. Chelsea on the other hand, score goals by the bundle, even without Drogba. In the past three seasons, no one, on average, has scored more goals than Chelsea (78.67).

Plain and simple Torres’s injuries are going to make it hard for him to squeeze into Chelsea's lineup, especially when Carlo Ancelotti has the luxury of not having to gamble with Torres, unlike Torres's previous employers.

Truth is life is going to be difficult for Torres at Chelsea.

2. Carrol is the answer to Liverpool’s calling.

Liverpool have long been awaiting a successor to Michael Owen. Torres almost filled those shoes, barring his injuries and his last-minute move to Chelsea.

However, the signing of Andy Carrol may have filled that vacant void at Anfield.

Carrol is that ox-like English forward that Liverpool have been desperately waiting for. He gives them a dimension that Torres could not.

He is strong with his back to goal, electric in the air and has a work rate that has received praise from Newcastle great Alan Shearer.

The fact that he has a strong supporting cast of Steven Gerrard, Suarez, Dirk Kuyt, Raul Meireles and Joe Cole (Liverpool hope), will give him the freedom and space he did not have at Newcastle. His new dimension will allow Liverpool to play that possession football they love but will always have that direct route to goal as long as Carroll is on the field.

Not to mention the partnership he will undoubtedly form with the, opposite style, but compatible play of Suarez.

Truth is life is going to be sweet for Carroll at Anfield.

3. The ‘Fantasy’ markets are here to stay.

£35 million was the cost of Andy Carroll. £50 million for Torres. £80 million for Ronaldo to Madrid.

Arsene Wenger referred to the new transfer fees as "monopoly money."

The once realistic transfer fees are a thing of the past and everyone is having to live in a world of over-priced players and transfers being hung up on inane fees.

Who is to blame?

Manchester City.

Robinho’s last gasp signing from Real Madrid to Manchester City marked the highest transfer fee in British history. It seemed transfer fees went on the climb from there.

Shortly after, Adebayor left Arsenal for £25 million, and then Ronaldo shattered any transfer fee by moving to Spain for £80 million and Kaka followed for £65 million.

The fees are outrageous and teams that are wanting to live and do business in the real world no longer can.

To previous players the fees are insulting. Take Arsenal’s two strikers, Thierry Henry left for Barcelona for £15 million. Adebayor left Arsenal for Manchester City for £25 million. Comparing the prices-to-player value one has to wonder how one of the greatest strikers of our time cost £10 million less than Adebayor.

Carroll, as promising as he is, is not worth £35 million. Torres is not worth £50 million. Ronaldo is not worth £80 million.

Unfortunately, this is the footballing world we live in. Owners will do anything for success. Clubs will buy any players, for any fee, if it means they will win that much more.

The only glimmer of hope for containment on these ridiculous fees is FIFA’s Financial Fair Play Act.

All I know is, in time this heinous spending will catch up to these heinous clubs.