Soccer:Chelsea have agreed a fee to sign Spain striker Fernando Torres from Liverpool, who in turn have agreed a fee for Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll.

"Liverpool Football Club tonight confirmed they have agreed a fee with Chelsea for the sale of Fernando Torres. The player has now been given permission to speak to the London club," Liverpool said on their website (www.liverpoolfc.tv).

The transfer fee will be a British record of around €58 million, according to reports, after Chelsea's €41 million bid was rejected on Thursday.

Liverpool rejected a bid from the Premier League champions last week but, having agreed a €31 million fee for Uruguay striker Luis Suarez from Ajax Amsterdam, they agreed to sell the 26-year-old Torres. Suarez has just completed his transfer and signed a five-and-a-half year deal after completing his medical.

Torres joined the Anfield club from Atletico Madrid for around €30 million in 2007. He requested a transfer this month. The striker has failed to hit his top form at Anfield this season, scoring only seven Premier League goals for the Reds.

Chelsea have not made any major signings during the January transfer window but buying Torres is a real statement that the club owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich remain big hitters in the market.

They also still hope to sign Benfica's Brazilian defender David Luiz.

Earlier in the day Newcastle accepted a bid in the region of €41 million - plus add-ons - for Carroll.

"Liverpool FC confirmed this afternoon that Newcastle United had accepted a club record offer for the transfer of Andy Carroll," said a statement on Liverpool's website.

"The club have been given permission by Newcastle to discuss personal terms with the player, who will now travel to Liverpool for a medical."

Newcastle confirmed the development in a statement of their own: “A British record transfer fee has been agreed between Newcastle United and Liverpool for Magpies striker Andy Carroll."

"The 22-year-old England international has this afternoon handed in a transfer request, which has reluctantly been accepted by the club, and Carroll is currently in talks with the Reds over a move to Anfield.”

Newcastle initially rejected a €29 million bid and an improved second bid from Liverpool before the player handed in a transfer request to set the wheels in motion.

Carroll (22) has played just 41 Premier League but is considered one of the most promising strikers in the country.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew was due to give a press conference this afternoon ahead of Newcastle's game at Fulham on Wednesday but it was cancelled.

WORLD’S TOP 10 MOST EXPENSIVE TRANSFERS

As Fernando Torres and Andy Carroll prepare for big-money moves to Chelsea and Liverpool respectively, here is a list of the most expensive transfers:

1 Cristiano Ronaldo — Manchester United to Real Madrid, 2009, €94 million

2 Zlatan Ibrahimovic — Inter Milan to Barcelona, 2009, €66 million

3 Kaka — AC Milan to Real Madrid, 2009, €66 million

4 Zinedine Zidane — Juventus to Real Madrid, 2001, €54 million

5 Luis Figo — Barcelona to Real Madrid, 2000, €43 million

6 Hernan Crespo — Parma to Lazio, 2000, €42 million

7 David Villa — Valencia to Barcelona, 2010, €40 million

8 Gianluigi Buffon — Parma to Juventus, 2001, €38 million

9 Robinho — Real Madrid to Manchester City, 2008, €38 million

10 Christian Vieri — Lazio to Inter Milan, 1999, €37 million