Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel says Fernando Torres' exit came as 'no surprise', but feels he could end up regretting his move to Chelsea.
The Spanish striking ace sent shockwaves through Anfield on transfer deadline day when he completed a £50million move to Premier League rivals the Blues.
The 26-year-old has penned a five-and-a-half-year deal at Stamford Bridge and fired a parting jibe at Liverpool by expressing his delight at joining 'one of the biggest teams in Europe'.
But Skrtel, while admitting he saw Torres' departure coming, believes the former fans' favourite could lament leaving Merseyside in the future.
"I expected it," Skrtel told isport.blesk.cz.
"There had been plenty of talk for a long time before and when he was not training with us in the last two days, nor was he in the training centre, the speculation just seemed to come true.
"We all feel sorry because he's a player of world class ability but, to be honest, it was no surprise (to see him go).
"I wish him all the best but do not wish any success to Chelsea. Maybe Fernando will regret making this step sometime in the future."
Liverpool has recently enjoyed an encouraging run of results after a miserable start to the season, and Skrtel believes it was that period of turmoil that pushed Torres towards the door.
He said: "There were some hints of him leaving already in the summer when Chelsea claimed interest in him but he agreed with Liverpool on staying.
"However, this season has not been going according to our wishes and expectations and that convinced him that it is the right time to move elsewhere. This is how he explained it to us."
Torres is poised for his Chelsea debut against his former club at the Bridge on Sunday, and Skrtel is determined to keep his ex-colleague off the scoresheet.
"It will be different because so far I have been playing against him only in training," he added.
"I hope he appears on the pitch and, since Chelsea wanted him so much, it is very likely that he will.
"I'm looking forward and firmly believe I won't let him score."
While acknowledging Liverpool will miss the striker, Skrtel is confident new signings Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez can plug the gap left by the Spaniard.
"Such a player would be missed at every club, that's for sure," he said. "On the other hand, we have captured Suarez and Carroll.
"I believe these two will replace him and we will be at least as strong as we were with Nando."
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