FERNANDO TORRES has put a spring in Roy Hodgson’s step by pledging his immediate future to Liverpool. Speculation that the Spain striker would leave Anfield this summer has swirled around for months, but instead of heading for Manchester City or Chelsea it seems Torres intends staying on Merseyside for a while longer.

“Fernando Torres has told us he wants to come back,” Liverpool’s manager said yesterday. “He’s told us he’s looking forward to Monday and getting back to work and playing for us next season. That’s what we know and as far as I’m concerned, all others reports are erroneous.”

Torres was given an extended break after his involvement in Spain’s World Cup win, but he has held private talks with Hodgson.

“He’s having a well-deserved break with his family,” Hodgson said. “He’s keeping a low profile and not really talking to anyone, but he has spoken to us.”

The tone of the Liverpool manager’s conversations with Javier Mascherano appears to have been somewhat frostier.

Hodgson – who also introduced his three new signings, Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic and Danny Wilson, ahead of this morning’s departure for Macedonia and the Europa League qualifier against FW Rabotnicki – has reminded the Argentina midfielder he will leave Anfield on Liverpool’s terms.

“He wants to leave, he’s made that particularly clear. He wanted to leave a year ago and he wants to leave now. But Javier Mascherano is contracted here and I will continue to treat him as a Liverpool player until this club decides that should change.

“Just because Mascherano is a bit unhappy does not necessarily mean he will leave. I expect him to honour his contract until the day this club accepts an offer for him.”

Cole intends to avoid the sort of culture shock Mascherano is said to have suffered on Merseyside by immersing himself in all things Liverpool while trying to help restore the club to former glories.

Indeed, at one point yesterday the former Chelsea midfielder got so enthused about the prospect of chasing the title that Hodgson had to remind him: “Rome wasn’t built in a day – we finished seventh last season.”

Undeterred, the midfielder said: “It’s a long time since we won the title; you talk to everyone and that’s what they want. The main thing is to win the title, but we’ll keep building and take it slow. It’s something fresh and new here, a new chapter and I’m very excited.”