Transfer Speculation: Fernando Torres (Liverpool) to Manchester City

Bob Cass's speculative page turner suggesting a £50m move for Fernando Torres to Man City in the Mail on Sunday yesterday was low on quotes (OK devoid of them), low on facts (ditto) and high on headline.

With a headline that blazed ...

"EXCLUSIVE: Fernando Torres wanted by Manchester City's sheiks - Liverpool fear losing their star striker to £50m swoop"

... you would expect that the report would contain something more than:

City are rich + Liverpool are poor = City will buy Torres

But fundamentally that was it. The article even confused itself by implying a January deal yet suggesting that it couldn't be completed unless Liverpool finish outside the top four. The piece did have the decency to wind up with a reference to Christian Purslow stating that Rafa Benitez was safe and that a few Europa League games would bridge any financial gap. Which sort of negates the need for Liverpool to sell Torres in any event.

City are the richest club in the world, but many of the more expensive players need a year or two of success to become convinced that it is a good career choice - as opposed to a good financial choice. Man City learned through the Kaka rejection that this is the wrong type of deal to pursue at this stage of the clubs development.

So I can't see Liverpool selling, Torres being interested or even City wanting to pursue the deal.

Probability: 0/5