Superstar: Fernando Torres has failed to impress at the World Cup but is still hot property in the Premier League
Chelsea have fired their opening shot in the battle to sign Liverpool's Fernando Torres by lodging a formal bid believed to be in the region of £40million for the Spain striker.
Ready to invest: Chelsea owner Abramovich (centre) will bankroll a marquee signing
Roman Abramovich is ready to back manager Carlo Ancelotti all the way in his pursuit of his top summer target.
And although the Anfield club are likely to demand considerably more for their prized asset, Sportsmail revealed in May that the billionaire owner is ready to part with anything up to £70m for such a 'marquee signing'.
New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has already admitted he can offer no guarantee that either Torres or skipper Steven Gerrard will be at Anfield next season. And given Liverpool's precarious financial situation, a concerted effort to sign Torres by Chelsea is likely to prove impossible to resist.
Ironically, the striker is currently sweating on his place in Spain's starting line-up for tomorrow's World Cup semi-final against Germany with speculation rife that he i s to be dropped in favour of either Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas or Manchester City new boy David Silva.
Torres yesterday admitted he has not fully recovered from undergoing knee surgery in April.
Ahead of the last-four clash at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium, he said he was 'not at his physical best' after struggling for form since being in South Africa.
The striker has failed to score in Spain's five games so far and added he understands some of the criticism of him and that he has had his share of 'difficult moments'.
Meanwhile, Fabregas insisted he is eager to face the Germans despite suffering pain in his shoulder.
Fabregas revealed he may need a painkilling injection in his right shoulder to play tomorrow.
'It's painful but when you are up for it, it's fine,' he said. 'I am ready to get an injection to play. If Del Bosque needs me I'll be there.'
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