There are usually only two reasons a player returns to a previous club. Either a big money move to a big club failed, with the selling club happy to take them back at a knock-down price. Or the player, after a glittering career, returns to his boyhood club. Fernando Torres’ return to Atletico Madrid feels like both.
Torres is inching ever closer to a famous return to the club where it all began, albeit on loan, after a trophy-laden career. At 30, his career is reaching its conclusion after years of both glittering success and immense struggle.
Memories of Torres at his best still linger in the minds of Atletico fans and perhaps Coach Diego Simeone, whom he played alongside. Despite the talented forwards Atletico have had in the past, Torres is perhaps seen as the best by the supporters, coming up through the ranks and captaining the side aged just 19.
But the striker who terrorised defences in the red of Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Spain no longer exists. That much has been evident for some time. The fact that Milan wish to offload him so quickly should set alarm bells ringing. On the surface it’s surprising then that they chose purchase him outright while still on loan from Chelsea, but the swap deal is easier if they own his registration. In essence they’re buying him to sell him, or at least loan him out, in return for Alessio Cerci.
To say the Italian winger hasn’t really been given a chance at Vicente Calderon would be an understatement. Cerci is yet to start a match, making a number of substitute appearances, during which he has contributed very little. He, along with Raul Jimenez, has failed to live up to his sizeable price tag.
But that does not exactly mean Torres is the answer – far from it based on recent evidence. Many believed the move to Milan would see him get his mojo back. Playing in a team where he was the figurehead, in a League played at a slower pace, Torres was tipped to do well, and started well, before tailing off dramatically. One League goal in 10 appearances does not constitute much of a return.
This is Torres’ last big crack at the big time. He is unlikely to feature for any team with a higher standing than Atletico again in his career. He risks damaging his reputation with Atleti fans, but on the whole has very little to lose and much to gain. From the champions’ point of view, the move is a little harder to justify.
Swapping an out-of-form aging striker for a player who cost €16m six months ago seems a bad move on paper. And based on form over the past year, it seems a bad move on the pitch. But it gives Atletico fans one last glimpse of the man they revered, and who knows, maybe he’ll chip in with a goal or three.
