Fernando Torres: My decision to move to Chelsea destroyed Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard was devastated by my decision to move to Chelsea, says Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres has admitted that he has never been able to recapture the form he displayed at Liverpool, feeling that he has suffered for the fact that he is no longer playing in front of Steven Gerrard.

Torres quit Liverpool for Chelsea three and a half years ago in a £50million deal and has gone on to enjoy European success, but he has been a much-maligned character during his time at Stamford Bridge, having never really justified the transfer fee.

Jose Mourinho has suggested he could keep Torres for another season in the hope that he can coax his form back out again and while Torres claims he does not regret changing clubs, he misses playing alongside Gerrard, claiming they were ‘made for each other’

Torres told reporters, “At Liverpool, I had almost everything – except titles.

“There I felt like a king, but the team was falling apart. The directors had sold Mascherano to Barcelona, then Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid, without investing any of the money to compensate for the departure of those two key players.

“I was 27, I wanted to know what it felt like to lift the Champions League and I had a feeling it was not going to happen at Liverpool. Liverpool then was in full transition, the club was being sold and in that case, unless you are Manchester City or PSG, it can be a long road before you are again competitive.

“I did not have time to wait. One day, Steven Gerrard came up to me and said; “Fernando, now you have to think about yourself. Do what you have to do.”

“But when I went to tell him that I was going to accept the Chelsea offer, it destroyed him. Announcing my departure from Liverpool to Gerrard was one of the most difficult moments of my career.

“He was my best team-mate and I am not so sure of finding another one like him in the future. We were made for each other.”