Fernando Torres’ return to Atletico Madrid could lead to the misfiring forward regaining his very best form, according to Milinko Pantic.
Torres is due to sign an 18-month loan deal with Atleti on January 5, after the completion of his permanent switch to AC Milan from Chelsea.
The move comes after the strikers’ Premier League struggles continued into his spell with the San Siro outfit.
But Pantic, who was a regular in the Atleti midfield during the days when Torres was making his name in the club’s youth ranks, believes that the 30-year-old’s return could be a fantastic move for all parties.
“I think it’s great news,” the Serb told AS. “How Diego Simeone will play Torres is his issue, not mine. If he plays one or two strikers is not my concern. As a fan, though, I think it’s great.
“He is back home. People will treat him with love, and I hope he gets back to his best – not only for Atletico but also for the national team, as he has been a very important player for them as well.”
Torres scored 91 goals in 244 appearances for Atleti before heading for Liverpool in 2007 to become a big hit with the Anfield faithful.
But the 30-year-old has netted only 55 times in 208 games over the last five seasons, and his solitary goal in 10 matches for Milan has led the Rossoneri to snap him up and loan him out in order to bring in Atleti’s Alessio Cerci.
“I think it’s a strategic signing and both parties can take advantage of it,” Pantic added. “Bearing in mind this signing is in January, when these kinds of deals are not very usual, it comes as a big shock.”
