Fernando Torres Leaving Liverpool, but How Does King Kenny Feel?

Kenny Dalglish was only back in charge at Liverpool for a few weeks, and already things were looking up. Sure he started off with a couple losses, but performances quickly picked up, and so did the results. Then came the news that the Reds had agreed a fee for Uruguayan and Ajax goal-scoring aficionado Luis Suarez.  

Friday must’ve been a great day to be the King. For a few minutes.

Liverpool fans had barely finished toasting their team when news broke that beloved striker Fernando Torres wanted away from Merseyside.

Timing is everything. The first decent signing the Reds make since arguably Torres himself in 2007 and now Torres wants out, for Chelsea of all clubs. A club that is one of the big four because of the mega-rich owner, not a mega-prosperous history.

It wasn’t even one month ago that Torres declared his head was in Liverpool and that he is a professional who “always fulfills [his] deals.”

For the record, Torres’ current deal, which was signed August 2009, is up in 2013.

Fans are gutted at this departure because Torres is a foreigner who immediately immersed himself in the team’s history and earned the fans’ adoration and respect.  Most of them, however, feel like if a player doesn’t want to be there, he doesn’t deserve to be.

But what about Kenny? The team he’d been watching for months was finally starting to click, and he’d just made his first major signing, a piece his team most definitely needed. Then his star just up and wants out?

Well his first feeling was probably one of déjà vu.

He watched Liverpool’s most famous No. 9 Ian Rush depart for Juventus in the summer of 1987. He brought in John Aldridge and Peter Beardsley to replace Rushie, and they were so good that Rush just couldn’t stay away.

But Torres wants to leave the day the transfer window closes and in the middle of the season no less. Doesn’t give Dalglish much time to find a replacement when you think about it.

He bought Suarez to accompany Torres, so they could score dozens of goals together. King Kenny might be hoping Torres changes his mind, but since he handed in his transfer request after the deal for Suarez was announced, that doesn’t seem likely.

Kenny, along with all Liverpool fans, has to feel let down and must think his team just can’t catch a break. The minute something goes right, something else falls apart. That sums up Liverpool for the past two seasons.

Liverpool has reportedly valued its striker at £50 million and possibly Nicolas Anelka. Looks like someone will finally get his second chance in front of the Kop. 

Who knows what Dalglish, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher or anyone else said to Torres today at Melwood, but hopefully they’re all more focused on Stoke’s Anfield visit Wednesday.  And then the Super Sunday mega-clash with guess who.

Chelsea naturally.