DAVD VILLA: TORRES WILL NEVER JOIN MANCHESTER CITY
DAVID Villa last night insisted that fellow Spanish superstar Fernando Torres would NEVER join mega-rich Man City.
Villa, who will spearhead Spain’s attack in tonight’s World Cup Final against Holland, says the Liverpool hitman is obsessed by trophies – not money.
And Villa, who has just moved from Valencia to Barcelona for £33million, says if Torres quits Anfield it will probably be to join Chelsea.
Looking ahead to tonight’s big game and talking about his pal’s struggle to regain his best form, Villa said: “Nobody is worried about Fernando’s form. He is still the most complete striker in the world.
“And the fact he hasn’t scored for a few games does nothing to change that.
“If there is one player you would back on Sunday to score the winning goal, it would be Fernando.
“He is a big-game player and everybody wants him to start the final. I am not sure where his future lies – but he knows like me he must win trophies at club level.
And scoffing at rumours that Roberto Mancini’s project at Eastlands could be where Torres goes next, Villa said: “He isn’t money-focused so he would never join Manchester City.
“But sure, Barcelona and Chelsea would be real options for him. He has proven he can score goals in England and Chelsea are the number one team there at the moment, so I suppose it’s the option that makes the most sense.
“He has been fully focused on the World Cup but in the back of his mind he knows he needs to be competing for the very highest honours and if Liverpool can’t do it he will have to move.”
Villa, in sensational form in South Africa, cannot wait for English referee Howard Webb to get the big game under way tonight when a new country’s name will be added to the World Cup trophy.
He said: “We deserve to be at the final, we have worked hard. The semi-final against Germany was one of our best results ever, and I felt that over the 90 minutes we were by far the superior team.
“Germany disposed of great teams with great players like England and Argentina so easily we knew it would be tough.
“But we believe ourselves to be the best in the world and it’s that kind of performance which shows we are.
“The Dutch play some wonderful football and, from a neutral point of view, it should be a very attractive final.”
Villa knows that Holland are a side bristling with skill and talent and he warned: “I don’t like to single players out but if you look at Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben you have two of the top-three footballers in Europe this year, along with Lionel Messi.
“They are dangerous but our midfield and defence is very tight. Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique are very tough and do not let people past them easily.
“If you look at the players that both sides have on view it should be the most exciting final in many years.
“I know Sneijder and myself are tied in the race for the Golden Boot but it’s not something I am thinking about.
“If I win it then it will be great but the World Cup is on offer here, that’s the real prize. I wont be playing selfishly. If I score and win the Golden Boot then that is great but in truth it would give me just as much pleasure to see Fernando score the winner.
“Our aim was to get to the final but now we are there our aim is to be champions of the world. Nothing else will do.”