Past playersFernando Torres

Signed for a club-record fee of approximately £20 million in July 2007, Torres was handed the No.9 shirt vacated by Anfield legend Robbie Fowler.

Undaunted, he soon became the first Red since Fowler in 1996-97 to break the 30-goal barrier and quickly became the new idol of the Kop.

The goals continued to flow despite injury troubles - but in January 2011 he shocked Liverpool fans around the world by asking for a transfer to Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Before arriving in England aged 23, Torres spent 12 years with hometown club Atletico Madrid.

Clubs around Europe, including Manchester United and Arsenal, were circling for his signature. However, in May 2007 it became clear Torres had his heart set on Merseyside when he revealed the phrase 'We'll Never Walk Alone' on the inside of his captain's armband during a match between Atletico and Real Sociedad.

Two months of speculation and paper talk ensued before the striker was finally unveiled at Melwood.

Torres made his competitive debut for Liverpool at Villa Park on August 11, 2007. A week later he smashed in his first official goal when a trademark burst of pace against Chelsea sent Anfield wild.

Successive home hat-tricks to see off Middlesbrough and West Ham United helped the hitman total 33 goals in a blistering 2007-08 campaign, including 24 in the league to overtake Ruud van Nistelrooy and become the most prolific foreigner ever in a debut season in England.

His crucial Champions League strike at Stade Velodrome against Marseille won the club's Goal of the Season award, and it came as no surprise when fans also voted him their Player of the Year.

Torres then topped off an incredible season by helping Spain to Euro 2008 glory in Austria and Switzerland. He scored the winner in the final against Germany - one of two throughout the tournament - to secure Spain's first major honour since 1964.

A series of hamstring injuries disrupted 2008-09, though a haul of 17 goals from 38 appearances aided Liverpool's best title challenge since 1990 as they finished runners-up.

Torres spent a large part of the summer that followed in South Africa, where an awesome 11-minute hat-trick against New Zealand saw Spain through to the Confederations Cup semi-finals.

He returned to the Reds hoping to help finally collect the Premier League trophy - but it would prove a troublesome year for both player and club. Injuries to El Niño contributed to a disappointing seventh-placed finish in the league, though Torres still tallied 22 goals from 32 games in between two knee operations.

While Rafael Benitez was being replaced by Roy Hodgson back on Merseyside in the summer of 2010, he was again away with his country in South Africa - this time for the World Cup, which he and his compatriots would go on to historically lift.

A stop-start six months followed at Anfield and while Torres struggled to recapture the explosive form of his first season in England, many supporters believed that the January return to the dugout of Kenny Dalglish and his attacking brand of football would rejuvenate the No.9.

However, on January 28, following a bid earlier in the day from Chelsea, Torres handed in a written transfer request and told the club he wanted to leave. Three days later he joined the Blues for another club-record fee.