Newly Promoted Chinese Club Denies €8m Bid Lodged for Atletico Legend Fernando Torres
Fernando Torres won't be moving to the Chinese Super League in January despite reports of an €8m bid from a newly promoted side.
Beijing Renhe have been forced to come out and publicly deny that they are interested in prising the veteran striker away from boyhood club Atletico Madrid, according to FourFourTwo.
Torres' contract at Wanda Metropolitano expires next June and media outlets had alleged that he was to be the subject of an offer from Renhe in the January transfer window.
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However, deputy general manager Zhang Yue explained that those stories were merely fabricated and that last season's Chinese second division runners-up would not be looking to lure the goalscorer to the Far East.
Yue said: "With regard to the rumour of buying Torres, an agent did recommend him to us. However, after careful deliberation, we did not put him in our transfer list.
"Beijing Renhe will stick to our usual path of pragmatism. We won't blindly pursue the big names."
Torres has only bagged three goals in 18 appearances for Atletico so far this season, and the 33-year-old's game time could be significantly reduced in the Spanish capital from next month onwards.
Diego Costa will finally be allowed to play for Diego Simeone's side when he is registered to do so in January following his move from Chelsea, and will likely be the new fulcrum at the heart of Atletico's attack alongside Antoine Griezmann.
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That would leave Torres firmly rooted to the bench like he has been in recent weeks, with the ex-Liverpool and Chelsea forward making cameo appearances from the sidelines.
Atletico fans would likely be against seeing Torres depart again and it could well be that the Spain international ends up retiring at his current club.
Whether that happens at the end of this term is up for debate, but Torres' future appears to lie as an impact sub rather than a regular starter for the rest of his career.
