Chelsea agrees fee with Liverpool to buy Torres

LONDON (Reuters) -- Chelsea have agreed a fee with Premier League rivals Liverpool to sign Spain striker Fernando Torres.

"Liverpool Football Club tonight confirmed they have agreed a fee with Chelsea for the sale of Fernando Torres. The player has now been given permission to speak to the London club," Liverpool said on their website (www.liverpoolfc.tv).

The transfer fee will be a British record of around 50 million pounds ($80.21 million), according to media reports.

Liverpool rejected a bid from the Premier League champions last week but, having agreed a 26.5 million-pound fee for Uruguay striker Luis Suarez from Ajax Amsterdam, they agreed to sell the 26-year-old Torres.

The Spain forward joined the Anfield club from Atletico Madrid for around 26 million pounds in 2007.

Chelsea have not made any major signings during the January transfer window but buying Torres is a real statement that the club owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich remain big hitters in the market.

They also still hope to sign Benfica's Brazilian defender David Luiz, media reports said.