Fernando Torres To Chelsea: 6 Consequences of the Historical Transfer

Fernando Torres has finally moved from Liverpool to Chelsea in the biggest transfer deal of the year, reportedly worth around £50 million.

Even though the transfer may have fluffed a few wits in Merseyside, it certainly makes him the expensive player ever signed by an English Club. He also sits pretty at third in the list of all time transfers, just behind Ronaldo and Kaka.

Torres will pocket a humongous £170,000 as weekly fees, which is the fourth highest in the Premier League- behind Carlos Tevez(Man City), Yaya Toure(Man City) and Wayne Rooney(Man United).

Its safe to say a transfer of such considerations will have serious implications on shores far and wide.

SO, how will the Torres transfer affect the football at Chelsea and at a larger continental level?

Read on, for an in-depth analysis…

1. Effects on the Title Race

Chelsea currently sit 10 points off league leaders Man United, five points off second placed Arsenal, and four points off third placed Man City(having played a game more).

While Man United are clear-cut favourites to land a 19th league title, Chelsea should not be written off, especially with Torres now in their ranks.

Without the Spaniard, Chelsea would have struggled to get on the podium in the title race, but with him- Champions League qualification is a given. Proof enough of the quality El Nino brings to the team.

However, the title will still be a bridge too far for the West Londoners. Even though they have two games to come up against the Red Devils, erasing the 10 point deficit would still be a tough ask.

2. Change in the Diamond Formation

It is not yet known how Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti plans to use Torres in the squad. It is widely expected that he will either play a 4-3-3 with Anelka, Drogba and Torres up top or play Drogba and Torres up top in a 4-4-2.

Anelka could also be the one who plays off the two strikers.

In any case, one of Kalou/ Malouda/ Anelka has to drop to the bench to accommodate Torres. Drogba is definitely immovable as the Blues’ leader of the line. This further means Ancelloti’s job would also include calming down a few hurt egos in the dressing room.

3. Boost to European Hopes

Chelsea can now look toward their European campaign with renewed vigour.

The Champions League has been Roman Abrahimovic’s holy grail since he took over the London side. While FC Copenhagen, as expected, won’t be much of a problem in the last 16, the arrival of Torres means every European heavyweight will be wanting to avoid Chelsea in further rounds as such.

“The Champions League is a big ambition and all the footballers want to play in it, it is a very important competition,Chelsea have the chance every season to win all the trophies they play for, so when you have the chance to play in a team like this you cannot say no.”

Torres made his intentions clear.

4. Roman Abramovic: Using a Double Edged Sword

The Russian billionaire’s helplessness to stop fiddling with his Chelsea toy just seems to keep making matters worse at Stamford Bridge.

It was interesting to see Carlo Ancelotti's reaction when asked about the impending (and probably, inevitable) purchase of Torres, and the Italian's clear lack of enthusiasm reminded oneself of Jose Mourinho's face when Andriy Shevchenko was pressed into his squad by the club owner. Of course, what happened to the former Ballon D’Or winner is not a secret.

Of course, Torres does look a lot more like a better buy than Shevchenko, but the fact is, based on the inflated price the Spaniard was bought at, as well as the fact that Chelsea's squad is on the wrong side of 30, wouldn't it have been far wiser for the club to have continued their policy of buying young?

What is ironic is Abramovich would have done far better by splashing the cash on Andy Carrol and Luis Suarez, as the two would have been the perfect replacements for the ageing Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.

Stop tinkering, Abramovich, and leave the football to the professionals!

5. Problems with UEFA’s Stringent Financial Regulations

UEFA intend to clamp down on clubs who do not keep to the financial fair play regulations.

What apparently, has not gone down well with UEFA is that even after suffering losses to the tune of €83 million, Chelsea still had the guts to splash another €58.5 million for the purchase of the Spaniard.

UEFA president Michel Platini is definitely not impressed saying, "It will be time for them to face the music if there is a club that doesn't fall in line."

UEFA financial fair play regulations come into force from the next season, and defaulters could face penalties- the most serious being a ban from competition in Europe.

6. Liverpool Is the Winner

Make no mistake, it's very impressive how Liverpool owners have gone about their business, immediately getting in a like-for-like replacement in the burly Newcastle front-man Andy Carroll.

In addition to new signing Luis Suarez, who scored on his Anfield debut, this could be the most deadly Liverpool strike partnership in decades.  Liverpool fans would be overjoyed at how the new owners have gone about doing potentially astute business as compared to their bumbling predecessors.

The purchase of Carroll and Suarez should certainly be the jump start that Kenny Dalglish needs to begin his Anfield rebuilding job, and if the owners carry on with the same shrewdness displayed during this transfer window, Liverpool could well be challenging for a 19th Premier League title sooner rather than later!