According to The Guardian, Fernando Torres is set to make £175,000 per week, or just short of $15 million per year. Over the course of his new five-and-a-half year deal at Stamford Bridge, that's over $80 million, and while all these numbers may seem like a drawn-out way of saying Torres is a rich man, it also puts into perspective the commitment Chelsea FC and Roman Abramovich have made to a player whose failed to play more the 24 matches in either of the last two Premier League seasons.
Fernando Torres Completes Move From Liverpool, Begins Process Of Justifying Chelsea’s Record Fee
This year, Torres (having already made 23 appearances) is destined to better that number, one of the few justifications for the £50 million fee Chelsea's agreed to pay Liverpool for the 26-year-old Spaniard. Fortunately for all Blues supporters wrestling with the deal's pros and cons, there are (at least) two other, incredibly persuasive reasons: for all his faults, Torres remains one of the world's elite talents; and in Chelsea, he's found a great fit.
We've gone over the prospect of Didier Drogba leaving this summer, one that would leave Torres the natural replacement in the middle of Carlo Ancelotti's three forward formation. But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. For the next six months, let's make it a point to enjoy the Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres partnership, because it's difficult to remember the last time two strikers with similar combinations of speed, size, strength, skill, and style were set to feature in the same XI.
While not identical, the two are practically interchangeable, but because each offers versatility we rarely see in strikers, there is little chance of a conflict. Both as comfortable in wide areas as they are in the middle. While not their ideal usage, both are as adept a dropping from the line into midfield. Both can play with their heads, though Drogba is certainly the more powerful. Both can out run people, though Torres may have the advantage there. Both can create and distribute for the others, only now, the “other” is a second striker who sits amongst the world’s five best at the position.
Chelsea has had to pay dearly for the pair’s promise, but consider that promise. Numerous times over the last three-and-a-half years, Torres has won or turned matches on his own, a description no less applicable to Didier Drogba. They’re two players that can take three points no matter how badly you’ve been outplayed, and to combine their efforts into one side gives Chelsea the opportunity to salve over a myriad of faults.
Chelsea's clearly not on Barcelona's level. They may be even prove behind Real Madrid and Manchester United, and who knows if they can track down Arsenal and Manchester City in league. But in a one match scenario - one ahead of which Carlo Ancelotti can rest his veterans and protect his fragile stars - Chelsea will scare anybody. Even Barcelona, who may be more adept at breaking down the bunkered Chelsea side the Blaugrana saw two years ago, but now with both Drogba and Torres capable of stealing that match before an Iniesta thunderbolt, Chelsea may not have to be as stalwart.
Nobody was counting the Blues out of a trip to Wembley to defend their FA Cup. But now, Chelsea is a serious threat to play there against two weeks later, in the Champions League final.
In that sense, being ten points behind Manchester United in league could be of service. Chelsea can focus on Champions League - Abramovich’s missing trophy - where they’ll begin the Round of 16 on level ground with their other knockout round qualifiers. Ancelotti can rotate his squad accordingly, adopting the same league/Europe priorities he employed at Milan. If United comes back to the pack in England, the Blues may be there to take advantage, but if Chelsea ended-up retaining the FA Cup and securing a top four spot in league while threatening to win Champions League, Roman may see has move as justified.
For now, Carlo has to keep his tandem healthy. Drogba’s aging and Torres is fragile, but if he can keep them on the pitch together, the football they’re likely to produce will make the fee a footnote. After all, we’re here to watch the games, not the money. That along may justify the move.
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