London: Chelsea`s new striker Fernando Torres believes he will recover his best form at the west London club after his British record transfer from Liverpool.
"The last month and a half or two months I have played close to my best and am recovering my top form..." the 26-year-old told reporters at the club`s training ground on Friday.
"I feel really good now and I think from now to the end of the season I will get my best form again. I hope so. I need to get it back to compete for a place in the first eleven."
Torres is set to make his debut against his old club in their Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge on Sunday but Carlo Ancelotti has yet to decide if he will start.
"Fernando is in good condition and is fit,` said the Chelsea manager. "He has no problem and trained very well... I don`t know if he will start or maybe come on during the game. I will take the decision before 4pm on Sunday."
The Spain striker was officially unveiled on Friday after his 50 million pounds move to the west London club just before the transfer window shut on Monday.
However, Torres dismissed the pressure of being Britain`s most expensive player and said he was "really excited" about playing with top players at last year`s double winners.
"I have been in this situation before when I signed for Liverpool with big expectations so it`s nothing new for me. I`m ... looking forward to a new era," said the Spaniard, who scored for Liverpool against Chelsea earlier this season.Showing Respect
Torres said he decided to leave Anfield and join Chelsea midway through the January transfer window, adding: "As soon as I knew that Liverpool and Chelsea were talking about that, I told them that the decision was made. I was the first one to go to the manager and tell them."
The World Cup winner, looking relaxed and confident, said he was keen to show "respect" to his former team mates and the fans who adored him at Anfield during his prolific spell at the club.
"I only have good things to say about Liverpool people," he said. "They made me feel really good there for three-and-a-half fantastic seasons. I understand they will be angry...”
"I`m not asking them to understand me but I`m sure over time they will see what I did there," said Torres who scored 81 goals in 142 games for the Reds after joining from Atletico Madrid.
Asked if he would celebrate a goal against Liverpool, Torres said: "First I have to play, and then I have to score but I have big respect for Liverpool fans so I don`t think I will."
The Spaniard is used to scoring against Chelsea, having netted seven times in eight meetings, including his first competitive goal for Liverpool in a draw at Anfield in 2007.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.