soccer
'A perception‑shattering moment of aggression and dominance'
By Yahoo Sports | | 1/31/2026 2:56 AM
Fernando Torres was widely regarded as the Premier League's best striker at the time, so Chelsea's 2011 January deadline day move for him felt like an act of both aggression and dominance. The club threw their weight around by spending a then British transfer record of £50m to sign Liverpool's outstanding player – aside from perhaps Steven Gerrard – at a moment when Liverpool, long past their glory years of the 1980s, nevertheless appeared to be rebuilding. It underlined how Chelsea, who had previously bid for Gerrard and later Wayne Rooney, were willing to use Roman Abramovich's vast resources to pursue almost any player they wanted. ... Read full Story