Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has told Chelsea to forget about signing Fernando Torres as not even a world record fee would tempt The Reds to sell.

Chelsea were reportedly keen to land the Spaniard and were prepared to break the bank to secure his signature.

But Liverpool fans can breathe easily as Hicks confirmed that no amount of money would see the striker heading to Stamford Bridge.

The Texan told the Liverpool Echo: “There is no price at which we would consider selling Fernando Torres.

“The Chelsea rumours in the media are total rubbish.”

Press speculation had suggested that one of Liverpool’s warring owners was prepared to do business with Roman Abramovich and sell Liverpool’s prize asset.

The club recently announced huge net losses for last year and Chelsea were reportedly hoping to test Liverpool’s resolve to hold on to Torres.

But Hicks insists that despite the obvious divisions that exist at Anfield, the board are united in their determination to keep hold of the Spain international.

He's been a great signing for liverpool and they would be daft to let him go and it looks like he's staying. Doubt he would go anyway he wants to be an anfield legend

just paper talk a load of ballacks. would you sell your best striker to another epl club NO WAY rick parry said on saturday that no club [meaning chelsea] had asked about torres or put in a bid .END OF STORY

new story about some dumb yank called hicks

Liverpool owners plunge into red
England - 10 June, 2008

Kop Football Holdings Ltd (Kop), the company which was set up by Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. to buy English Liverpool, posted net losses of GBP 33 million for the year ending 31 July 2007.

Kop is a parent company which supports several subsidiaries, including the Liverpool Football Club.

In February 2007, just couple of months after the American takeover, the club terminated its existing stadium design and wrote-off GBP 10.3 million. It was Hicks who precept to terminate the deal in order to employ architects from his native Texas.

Liverpool is also paying an annual interest, over three years, on a GBP 64 million which Kop lent to the club. This loan is used by the club for clearing the GBP 30 million annual interest payments due in course of the GBP 350 million refinancing package on the loan used to purchase the club.

The refinancing package ends on 24 Jan 2009 although it could be extended by six months.

In their first seven months of ownership at Anfield, Gillett received nearly GBP 1.2 million for reimbursement of travel, legal, personnel and other expenses. Hicks has received GBP 331,000 for the same reasons.

While Hicks and Gillett are still at odds, not only the club's future ownership remains in doubt. Concerns over Liverpool stadium has been raised by Steve Broomhead, the chief executive of the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) - a body that overseas urban regeneration.

Hicks and Gillett have until the end of September to show that they have the funds to build the GBP 300 million stadium in Stanley Park, but Broomhead told The Times that he was "not seeing any real progress in raising the money".

Around 200-300 people took part in the peaceful protest yesterday to highlight fans’ dismay at the way the American owners are running the club.

end of rant