Overview
- On January 31, 2011, Chelsea signed Fernando Torres from Liverpool for a then‑British record £50m after his January 28 transfer request.
- Liverpool completed rapid replacements the same night, landing Luis Suárez from Ajax for about £22.8m and Andy Carroll from Newcastle for £35m, taking the combined outlay for the three forwards past £100m.
- Carroll traveled by helicopter to Merseyside and later scored 11 goals in 58 Liverpool games before a loan and permanent switch to West Ham for roughly £15m.
- Retrospectives cite Carroll saying he wished he had failed his medical and highlight the unresolved dispute over whether he forced the move or was effectively sold by Newcastle.
- Suárez became Liverpool’s leading scorer with 82 goals before a 2014 move to Barcelona, while Torres struggled for form at Chelsea but won major trophies and scored a famous goal against Barcelona in 2012.