Torres signs new Liverpool deal after 50th goal
Liverpool has rewarded Fernando Torres for scoring 50 goals in his first two seasons by handing the striker a lucrative new deal that could keep him at Anfield until 2014.
The 25-year-old Torres already had a contract with the Reds until 2013, but the improved terms announced Thursday also give them the option of extending it by further year.
Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.
Fernando is one of the best strikers in the game today and, at his age, can only get better, manager Rafa Benitez said. Every major side would want him in their team, but he has shown how much he wants to achieve success at Liverpool by committing his future to the club.
Hes a special talent, but still has the hunger to improve his game.
The Spain international, who scored his 50th Liverpool goal in Sundays 3-1 season-ending win over Tottenham, is key to Liverpools quest to win a first English title since 1990.
Despite struggling with hamstring injuries, his goals helped the club amass its best Premier League points tally to finish second behind Manchester United.
I have my first 50 and this makes me really happy, but now I want the next 50, Torres said. The main thing for me now is to forget the injuries and then if I can play every game in the next season it will be even better for me.
Torres, who joined from Atletico Madrid in the 2007 offseason for 20.3 million pounds (then $41 million; ?30 million), will have little time to recover as he will be on international duty at the Confederations Cup in South Africa next month - despite Benitezs concerns.
Of course I will go - its the price of success for Spain, Torres said. We won the European Championship and we have to play the Confederations Cup now. We have to go and win one more trophy for me and the country. The main thing is to come back fit.
Torres is the latest Liverpool player to commit his future to Liverpool after captain Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt, Daniel Agger and Benitez himself signed new deals.
Weve made huge progress this season and now we need to take the next step, Benitez said. We are building something special here and securing such important players on long-term deals means we can move forward with confidence.
This sends out a very positive message to everyone connected with the club.
Torres is now targeting winning his first trophy with Liverpool.
I came to Liverpool to win trophies and going two seasons without winning any is a long time for a club like Liverpool, Torres said. For me the team has improved over the last year and we are much closer to United than we were. We managed to get more points than any other Liverpool team since the Premier League began and I dont think there is any question that the team is improving and the club is improving.
Now hopefully we will be able to keep the good players that we have here and also make some good signings in the summer because that would be fantastic for us.
