Torres happy at Chelsea after losing faith in Anfield

MADRID (Reuters) -- Fernando Torres is convinced he made the right decision to leave Liverpool for Chelsea after failing to believe in talk of new projects at Anfield, the Spain striker said on Friday.

The 26-year-old moved to Stamford Bridge for a British record 50 million pounds ($81.25 million) on the final day of the January transfer window, and said he was settling in well to his new surroundings.

Liverpool's failure to reinforce their squad after selling players such as Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Peter Crouch and Alvaro Arbeloa, and the departure of manager Rafa Benitez, convinced Torres it was time to leave.

"I knew I was an idol for the fans but it wasn't the same any more," Torres told sports daily Marca.

"The institution was in chaos with the sale. There was all this talk of possible projects. In many ways it reminded me of (former club) Atletico Madrid... a great history, many ideas but without money, it needed time. I don't have that.

"People aren't honest in the world of football. You can't say the truth or be clear with people. It's a business and nobody is anyone's friend."

On his new club he added: "Chelsea have proved they have top-level players in all departments and that they will always be competitive whatever happens, with an owner who will invest when it is necessary."

Four games into his Chelsea career, Torres has yet to score his first goal.

"I didn't expect it to be easy. It never is," he added. "It was the same for me at Liverpool. There are two months of adaptation to something so new, and more so in February.

"The fans have been impressive from the first day. They are almost more enthusiastic than I am to score the first goal."

He also said he had been surprised at how easy it had been for him to settle in with his new team mates.

"I expected something more distant with a team full of stars," Torres said.

"There are more personal relationships and jokes between the players than there were at Liverpool. Everything was much more serious there. Here, you don't have to prove you are a professional, it is assumed."