Fernando Torres bid farewell to Atletico Madrid and hello to Liverpool in a style befitting the most expensive Spanish signing ever with two news conferences in two countries only hours apart on Wednesday.

In the morning in Madrid the 23-year-old Spanish international striker said the decision to leave Atletico had been his own and that he had opted for the Merseysiders because they offered him a greater chance of winning trophies.

After jumping on a plane and flying to Liverpool, he told reporters at Anfield he was ready to live up to his billing as the club's record signing and help them end their long wait to win the English league title for the first time since 1990.

Liverpool have paid a club record fee of 36.0 million euros ($49.0 million) -- the most-ever paid for a Spanish player -- and given him a six-year contract.

"By paying that kind of money it shows a lot of confidence in me and I hope that I can repay that in the seasons to come.

"I think that this club is well capable of winning the Premiership and other trophies as they have shown in the past and I think we will be fighting on all fronts this year."

Liverpool's Spanish coach Rafa Benitez -- sporting a new-look goatee beard grown since the end of last season -- believes Torres is well suited to English football and will add an extra dimension to Liverpool's attack as they look to transfer their Champions League form to the domestic stage.

"We are a club with passion and he has passion. He is a player with power and can score goals," Benitez said.

"He is a young player who needs to improve but the strengths that he has are really good for us."

Torres, who scored 82 goals in 214 league appearances for Atletico, has been given the No.9 shirt, previously worn by Anfield favourites Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler.

He added: "It's a real privilege to have the opportunity to wear that number. I think the fact Liverpool have given me that number shows they have a lot of confidence in me and they have high hopes that I am going to succeed."

NEW CHALLENGES

In Madrid, earlier in the day, Torres told Spanish journalists: "There comes a moment in your sporting life when you have to look for new challenges and this was it.

"The decision was mine. We received the offer and I asked the club to listen to it. It was difficult to leave, but I couldn't reject the Liverpool offer... It was a unique opportunity."

"Every sportsman wants to win things and Liverpool are a club that aspire to winning everything. That was an important factor in my decision.

"They have become a major force again in Europe in recent years. They were the team I wanted to play for... but I hope that this will be an "hasta luego" (see you later) and that one day I will return."

Atletico president Enrique Cerezo paid tribute to the Spain striker, who was club captain and has been the team's top scorer for the past five seasons.

"In the name of the whole club I want to give recognition to one of the great players that has passed through this club," Cerezo said. "He has become an icon."

Cerezo presented a somewhat reluctant Torres with next season's Atletico shirt emblazoned with his name and the number nine, thanking the player for his loyalty.

Unfortunately for Cerezo and the Atletico faithful he will be wearing a different number nine shirt next season.