Liverpool have turned down a transfer request from Fernando Torres, the English Premier League club said Saturday, following an audacious bid from Chelsea for the Spanish international.

"Fernando Torres tonight submitted a written transfer request, which has been rejected by Liverpool," Liverpool said in a statement on its website.

"Fernando is under a long-term contract and the club expects him to honor the commitment he made to Liverpool FC and its supporters when he signed the agreement."

Striker Torres, 26, is under contract at Liverpool until 2013. However he is widely reported to have a buy-out clause in his deal which will allow him to leave if another team matches his 50 million pounds ($79 million) valuation.

The clause was believed to have been inserted as a concession to Torres after Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League last season amid uncertainty over the club's ownership.

Chelsea, who are believed to have tabled a similar bid for the player last summer, had been told that the Spanish international was not for sale, Liverpool said.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is expected to overhaul Chelsea's aging squad, where a number of stalwarts such as Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and John Terry are nearing the end of their careers at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool meanwhile confirmed Friday they had agreed a deal with Dutch side Ajax to sign Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez.

The English giants will pay a fee of up to 26.5 million euros ($36 million) subject to the player passing a medical and agreeing personal terms.

Suarez's much-anticipated move to Merseyside had been held up after the two clubs had failed to reach agreement on a transfer fee.

However 24-year-old Suarez had spoken enthusiastically about the prospect of a move to England, saying that he believed he could emulate the success of Carlos Tevez in the Premier League.

"(England) is a league that attracts me, a country where the football is really good," said Suarez.

Suarez has been a prolific scorer in the Dutch championship, scoring 111 goals in 159 matches since joining Ajax from Groningen in 2007.

Agencies