Torres exit lifted ‘black cloud’ over Liverpool, says Comolli

Fernando Torres’s Liverpool exit was a welcome relief for the Anfield club, according to director of football Damien Comolli.

Torres’s record £50m move to Chelsea in January ended months of speculation surrounding the Spaniard’s Anfield future.

And Comolli says the atmosphere around the Merseyside club has changed dramatically since the World Cup winner’s departure.

“When you have someone who doesn’t want to be here and you swap him for people who want to be here, the atmosphere changes,” said Comolli.

“It’s like there is a bright new sky with no cloud over our head from the day that happened. So it’s been only positive.”

The funds generated from Torres’s sale allowed manager Kenny Dalglish to secure the services of Luis Suárez and Andy Carroll.

And Comolli expects a similarly busy summer transfer window at Anfield as Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, look to further strengthen the squad.

The Frenchman continued: “I was very, very pleased [with the business conducted on transfer deadline day] for two reasons. First, because we were getting a top player [in Carroll]. He’s young, English, with all the attributes you want from a modern centre-forward in the way we want to play.

“Secondly, because getting two players triggered the fact that we could sell one player who didn’t want to be here, and get two who did want to be here. That was really a relief for those reasons.

“The owners said from day one they want to improve things and turn things around quickly and I have said the same thing since I arrived, so I expect a busy summer.”

He added: “When we prepare for the next season it’s difficult to say we work to the January transfer window. We work from summer to summer.”