The Spaniard cut short his holiday in the resort island of Bora Bora in Polynesia to be at the club's Melwood training ground yesterday to undergo a medical examination and seal his record-breaking move from Atletico Madrid.

The 23-year-old will put pen to paper on a six-year contract worth around £90,000 a week before being unveiled today as the answer to manager Rafael Benitez's long search for a world-class striker.

His pay package - although some way short of the £120,000 club captain Steven Gerrard earns - will amount to £28 million over the course of his contract.

Add the £24 million transfer fee, and the young man presents an enormous investment - some will say gamble - by Liverpool.

Their biggest splurge before was the £14 million spent in 2004 on flop Djibril Cisse.

Rush, who spearheaded Liverpool's last League title win in 1990, believes Torres is the missing piece in Benitez's project to mount a credible Premiership challenge.

'To compete in the League, they need to have someone who will get 20 or 25 goals a season - and Torres has the capability to do that,' said the former Wales international, who notched 229 goals in 469 appearances for Liverpool

'He is a genuine striker. He can shoot with both feet, and that is always a great asset. He has a great eye for goal, is strong and, in a one-on-one situation, he rarely misses.'

And Robbie Fowler, whose No. 9 shirt will be worn by Torres, told The Sun: 'His goal record in Spain is fantastic. I really hope he brings the title to Anfield.'

Torres, who joined Atletico as an 11-year-old, has been the club's top scorer for the last five seasons.

His most successful campaign was in 2003-04, when he scored 19 goals.

He was on target three times for Spain in last year's World Cup.

Despite claims that Atletico were holding out for the £27 million escape clause in his contract, the fee has been set at around £20 million - with the £4 million Luis Garcia moving in the opposite direction, reported The Times.

Atletico yesterday confirmed the signing of Garcia, who scored nine goals in 30 league games for them in the 2002-03 season.

Buoyed by Torres' capture, Benitez is expected to persuade Argentinian left-back Gabriel Heinze to make a £5 million switch from Manchester United, where he has lost his place to Patrice Evra.

Not since Phil Chisnall left Old Trafford for Anfield in 1964 has a direct transfer taken place between the rivals.

But, when the new season starts, all the attention will be on Torres as he makes the switch from the Primera Liga to the Premier League.

He is powerful, athletic, proven in Spain and able to play as a lone striker as well as in a partnership.

But he is untested in the Premiership and is so costly that inevitably, huge pressure will be placed upon him.

And Benitez will no longer be able to cite a lack of funds and an inability to compete for A-list stars for his failure to get anywhere near Chelsea and United in the League.