Fernando Torres takes next step of management career after Jurgen Klopp Liverpool meeting

Former Liverpool forward Fernando Torres has been named the new head coach of Atletico Madrid's reserve team.

The 42-year-old, who spent three-and-a-half years at Anfield before signing for Chelsea in January 2011, has spent the last three seasons managing the club's under-19s. In his time with the under-19s, Torres won two league titles, a Champions Cup, and reached the quarter-finals of the 2021-22 UEFA Youth League.

However, Torres will now lead the club's reserve side in Spain's third division after being promoted through the ranks of the Wanda Metropolitano. The move comes just months after he visited the AXA Training Centre to shadow Jurgen Klopp for a weekend before he the German departed Anfield.

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“I am at home and I feel an enormous responsibility since I decided to face this new stage," said Torres after his appointment on Tuesday.

"It has been three years of constant learning. For me, this step is very important and I want to be ambitious to do things better every day, face the challenges that come and the responsibility in the best way and at the same time knowing that I am in no hurry and no need to take a wrong step.

"I accept it as a great challenge with a lot of ambition and the peace of mind of knowing that we are prepared. The first thing is to know what the objective of a subsidiary is, which is to contribute many players to the first team. We have to insist to the players that their dream has to be to play for Atletico Madrid and prepare them for the first team.

"The best way To do so is to compete and face a very complicated category with ambition, knowing that Atletico Madrid requires you to give your all. Try to compete as well as possible, have the team at the top of the table because that is what will prepare them for what. what comes next, hopefully it will be our first team."