AC Milan sign Fernando Torres from Chelsea on a permanent transfer

Fernando Torres

£50 million pound man Fernando Torres will join AC Milan on a permanent transfer from January 5th. Chelsea released a statement saying that they allow the Spaniard to join the Italian side on a permanent basis.

In a statement, Chelsea said, "Fernando Torres is to join AC Milan on a permanent basis. The striker moved to the San Siro on a two-year loan deal in August and on January 5 he will complete a permanent transfer to the Serie A side.

"Chelsea Football Club thanks Fernando for his service during the past four seasons and wishes him the very best for the future."

This move brings an end to Fernando Torres’ topsy-turvy Premier League stint where he achieved tremendous highs at Liverpool, before his sudden downfall after a big-money move to Chelsea.

Torres-Atletico move still on

The deal allows Chelsea to get the striker, who is only six months into a 2-year loan deal at Milan, off their wage bill earlier than agreed before. This deal has been announced when rumours of a Torres-Alessio Cerci swap deal between Atletico Madrid and Milan were gathering pace.

There are reports that Torres will be allowed to swap clubs with Cerci after his transfer to Milan. As Torres was only on a loan deal with the Italian club, they didn’t have the right to involve the Spaniard in a direct deal to get Cerci. With the confirmation of Torres’ transfer to Italy, there are chances that the deal to swap Cerci and Torres will be completed soon.

Earlier, Atletico assistant coach German Burgos also said a deal for Torres was "on the verge of completion".

He said, "He will be a very important reinforcement for the second half of the season."

If he does join the La Liga champions, he will be returning to his boyhood club after seven and a half years when he left Atletico to join English giants Liverpool, back in 2007.