Torres offered Russian route out of Chelsea

Big name players that are over the hill and can no longer really cut it at the top level anymore now have a wealth of options where they can see out their autumn years.

There is the sunny climates of Australia, the money-drenched lands of China and Russia or there is always the American dream to be cracked with that 'name' they possess giving them ample opportunity to be paid lots for a spell spent in, at best, third gear.

One such player who may find it worth his while to explore these particular avenues is Fernando Torres with the Sunday People reporting that Russian big-spenders Anzhi Makhachkala are lining up a bid for the perma-out-of-sorts Spaniard.

The paper reports that if new boss Rafael Benitez fails to reignite Torres' career, Anzhi would be the only club willing to pay an amount Roman Abramovich would deem enough for his services- the fee isn't reported in the article, but a reasonable fee one would imagine is about £1.50.

The paper does report that the fee would have to be close to the £50million that Chelsea spent to bring Torres to Stamford Bridge from Liverpool in the first place.

Anzhi gaffer Guus Hiddink is thought to be a close friend of Abramovich which could grease the wheels of the deal a little further and join Torres up with fellow striker Samuel Eto'o in Russia for lots o roubles.