The target man: Torres, who is on Manchester City's wanted list, could join Chelsea in a record moveMartin Broughton warned Chelsea to keep their hands off Fernando Torres yesterday and assured Liverpool fans: ‘We won’t sacrifice our prize assets to reduce debts.’
The Liverpool chairman finally broke his silence over mounting interest in Torres and Steven Gerrard, as fears for their futures were exacerbated by more financial gloom.
The club announced a pre-tax loss of £54.9million for 2008/2009 — an increase of £14m on the previous year — raising concerns they would be more vulnerable to an approach for Torres from Chelsea, whose pursuit of the striker was revealed in Sportsmail this week.
The loss has plunged Liverpool further into the red, with their debt rising from £299.8m to £351.4m and interest payments increasing from £36.5m to £40.1m.
Real Madrid have long had hopes of prising Gerrard away from his home club and have been alerted to suggestions Liverpool may have to sell to afford their interest payments.
But the Spaniards were given short shrift as Chelsea fan Broughton, appointed by owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to oversee the sale of the club, insisted cashing in on Liverpool’s best players was not an option.
Spanish flyer: Torres fires the opener in the Euro 2008 final - the striker's only major honour to dateAsked about Sportsmail’s exclusive that Chelsea were preparing a £70m bid for Torres, and whether Liverpool fans should worry, he said: ‘I can understand their concern.
'Torres is one of the great players, and every club would love to have him. We have got him, and there is no intention of selling him.
‘There’s absolutely no reason to sell either Torres or Gerrard.
‘I don’t want to sell either of them; Rafa (Benitez) doesn’t want to sell either of them.’
source :dailymail
