Liverpool close in on Torres

FERNANDO TORRES has moved a step nearer completing his move from Atletico Madrid to Liverpool by verbally agreeing personal terms while he is away on holiday.

He is expected back from Polynesia, possibly by the weekend, to complete the £26.5m deal, a Liverpool record.

As he arrives, Liverpool will be allowing Luis Garcia to head to Atletico for a £4million fee, ending a productive spell of 30 goals in 121 games for the Reds.

Meanwhile Frank Lampard’s agent has revealed the Chelsea midfielder has not had the chance to reject a new contract from the Stamford Bridge club and wants to stay there for the rest of his career.

The 28-year-old England midfielder is alleged to have turned down a contract extension that would have made him Chelsea’s highest earner with wages of £131,000-a-week.

But the player’s agent, Steve Kutner, is adamant that no talks have taken place with Chelsea because Lampard and the club’s chief executive Peter Kenyon have not been free to set up a meeting since the end of last season.

Lampard has been linked with both Barcelona and Juventus in the last week but will join the rest of the Chelsea squad for their tour of America next week.

Chelsea are on the brink of selling defender Geremi to Newcastle for £2million but are also trying to persuade Arjen Robben to sign a long-term extension to his current contract.

Real Madrid continue to show interest in the Holland international but Robben, like Lampard, insists he wants to remain a Chelsea player.