Liverpool striker Fernando Torres signed an improved contract with the Premier League club on Thursday.
Torres, 25, was handed the wage increase as a reward for his superb displays this season, which helped Rafa Benitez’s side finish second in the Premier League behind champions Manchester United.
The new deal, believed to be worth around £90,000 (US$144,000) a week, also includes the option of a further year’s extension to Torres’ current contract, which is due to expire in June 2013.
Spain international Torres scored his 50th goal for Liverpool in the victory over Tottenham on the final day of the Premier League season and is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world.
“Fernando Torres has agreed a new, improved contract with Liverpool, reflecting his standing as one of the world’s top strikers,” the club’s Web site confirmed.
If Torres had been able to avoid injuries that sidelined him at several key stages of the season, Liverpool would have been in a strong position to end their 19-year wait to win the English title.
And Benitez believes the best is yet to come from Torres because he remains hungry to learn more about his position.
“Fernando is one of the best strikers in the game today and, at his age, can only get better,” Benitez said. “Every major side would want him in their team, but he has shown how much he wants to achieve success at Liverpool by committing his future to the club. He’s a special talent, but still has the hunger to improve his game.”
Torres joins Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and Daniel Agger in agreeing new deals at Anfield over the past two months.
“We’ve made huge progress this season and now we need to take the next step,” Benitez said. “We are building something special here and securing such important players on long-term deals means we can move forward with confidence.”
“This sends out a very positive message to everyone connected with the club,” he said.
“I have my first 50 and this makes me really happy, but now I want the next 50,” Torres said. “The main thing for me now is to forget the injuries and then if I can play every game in the next season it will be even better for me.”
Torres, who joined from Atletico Madrid in the 2007 offseason for £20.3 million, will have little time to recover, as he will be on international duty at the Confederations Cup in South Africa next month — despite Benitez’s concerns.
“Of course I will go — it’s the price of success for Spain,” Torres said. “We won the European Championship and we have to play the Confederations Cup now. We have to go and win one more trophy for me and the country. The main thing is to come back fit.”
“I came to Liverpool to win trophies and going two seasons without winning any is a long time for a club like Liverpool,” he said. “For me the team has improved over the last year and we are much closer to United than we were. We managed to get more points than any other Liverpool team since the Premier League began and I don’t think there is any question that the team is improving and the club is improving.”
“Now hopefully we will be able to keep the good players that we have here and also make some good signings in the summer because that would be fantastic for us,” Torres said.
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