Torres set for £50m move to Chelsea

LIVERPOOL, England (AP):

Chelsea agreed a fee with Liverpool to sign Fernando Torres yesterday in what could be British football's most expensive transfer.

British media say Chelsea will pay about £50 million (US$79.5 million) for the Spain striker, who would join a star-studded attacking line-up that includes Cte d'Ivoire striker Didier Drogba and former France international Nicolas Anelka.

The fee is similar to the figure paid to Inter Milan by Barcelona for Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2009 and would only be bettered in football history by Real Madrid's purchases of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka in the same year.

"The player has now been given permission to speak to the London club," a Liverpool statement said.

Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez is widely recognised as being the most expensive signing in British football after moving from Manchester United for about £47 million in 2009.

Liverpool looked set to replace Torres, who has spent 3¹/² years at Liverpool after his move from Atletico Madrid, with England striker Andy Carroll from Newcastle.

Transfer window

Carroll is on the brink of a £35-million (US$56 million) move to Anfield on the final day of Europe's January transfer window. Uruguay forward Luis Suarez joined Liverpool for £26.5 million (US$36 million) from Ajax on a 5¹/²-year contract.

Torres, whose contract at Liverpool was due to expire in 2013, has regained some form over the last few weeks after struggling early in the season as he recovered from a groin injury.