Spain striker Torres set for record move to Chelsea

Chelsea were set to pay a British record transfer fee to sign Spain striker Fernando Torres from Liverpool, who were close to a club record swoop for Newcastle’s Andy Carroll on transfer deadline day.

The Blues last week had a 35 million pounds (56 million dollars) offer for Torres rejected, a move which prompted the 26-year-old to submit a written transfer request on Friday, which was also turned down.

But Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was determined to make a landmark signing to revitalise his team after two seasons of only modest investment in the Stamford Bridge squad and is set to get his man.

A dramatic day in the Premier League gathered pace from the moment Liverpool had a bid of around 35 million pounds (56 million dollars) accepted for England striker Carroll.

That pending deal allowed Liverpool to accept Chelsea’s offer of around 50 million pounds (80 million dollars) for Torres – which will set a new British transfer record.

Liverpool had two previous offers for Carroll rejected but the player – who despite having an impressive first season in the Premier League has also made the front pages with some unsavoury headlines – forced Newcastle’s hand by delivering a transfer request which the Magpies reluctantly accepted.

Reds boss Kenny Dalglish also landed prolific Uruguay forward Luis Suarez from Ajax in a 22.6 million pounds (36 million dollars) swoop.

Suarez agreed a five-and-a-half-year contract and the 24-year-old, who scored 111 goals in 159 matches for Ajax, will wear the iconic number seven shirt made famous by the likes of Dalglish and Kevin Keegan.

Meanwhile, Torres may not be the only arrival at Chelsea as reports from Portugal suggested they had struck a deal with Benfica for Brazilian defender David Luiz.

The deal is believed to be worth 17.1 million pounds (27.3 million dollars) up front, with another 4.3 million pounds (6.8 million dollars) to be paid in 2013 and midfielder Nemanja Matic to join Benfica as a makeweight.

Young striker Daniel Sturridge left Chelsea to join Bolton on loan for the rest of the season.

Liverpool defender Paul Konchesky’s unhappy spell at Anfield was ended by a loan move to Championship club Nottingham Forest.

Elsewhere on the last day of the transfer window, Blackpool signed Republic of Ireland midfielder Andy Reid from Sunderland for an undisclosed fee and landed James Beattie on loan from Rangers.

League Cup finalists Birmingham City signed Obafemi Martins in a six-month loan deal from Russian side Rubin Kazan after the Nigerian striker was granted a work permit.

Newcastle signed Stephen Ireland on loan from Aston Villa and Wolves brought in goalkeeper Adriano Basso on a short-term contract until the end of the season.

Stoke striker Tuncay Sanli got his wish to leave the Britannia Stadium as the Turk moved to German club Wolfsburg on a three-and-a-half-year contract.

Sunderland sold Paraguay defender Paulo Da Silva to Spanish club Real Zaragoza.

Blackburn signed teenage forward Ruben Rochina from Barcelona for an undisclosed fee and Argentinian midfielder Mauro Formica from Newell’s Old Boys, also for an undisclosed fee.

Aston Villa took American midfielder Michael Bradley on loan from Borussia Monchengladbach for the rest of the season.