Fernando Torres played a big role in Raheem Sterling joining Liverpool, according to former Reds manager Rafa Benitez.
Benitez recalled how the Spanish striker spoke with Sterling at Liverpool's training ground when the club were trying to sign him in 2010. The then 16-year-old Sterling was contracted with QPR at the time.
We invited Raheem to Melwood and had a meeting with him and his mother.
I walked around the complex with them and was showing them the facilities and we got as far as the physio's room.
Fernando was there and I think Steven Gerrard, too. But definitely Fernando. I explained what Raheem and his mum were doing and I told Fernando what we thought of the young player we had brought in. He had a quick chat with him, asking how he was getting on. He was interested in him.
The former Athletico Madrid sharpshooter was the marquee name in the Liverpool squad after netting 18 league goals in his first season with the side. Torres left Liverpool to join Chelsea in 2011 for £50 million but Benitez thinks that his brief chat with Sterling went a long way in convincing him to move.
Raheem was really pleased and you could see his mum was, too – really impressed that the club's biggest players had made a fuss of him.
Torres' efforts worked as the English winger signed for Liverpool for £400,000 and has grown into one of the stand-out players at Anfield. Sterling has already scored two goals and made one assist in the opening four Premier League games this season.
