Fernando Torres tipped to have managerial career by former Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez

Former Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez has tipped Fernando Torres to have a career in management.

The former Liverpool and Chelsea striker is currently in charge of Atlético Madrid’s U19 squad.

Marquez, who is currently in charge of Barcelona Athletic, the Catalan giant’s ‘B’ team, said Torres, along with another former Liverpool player, impressed the Mexican during their coaching course together.

The 43-year-old told Mundo Deportivo: ‘Fernando Torres has great abilities. Likewise, Alvaro Arbeloa.

‘You could already see that they stood out during the course.’

It is not the first time Torres has been tipped off about a successful career in management.

Former Atletico coach Armando de la Morena said: AS in March: “A coach like Fernando, who knows his career a little bit, as a player and always with the respect he has carried, has the conditions to be a good coach.

“I also know it from the players, who tell me wonders about him, how he transfers, how he gives them the concepts. So what I see in him is that if all goes well we will have a future coach for Spanish football and for Atletico and hopefully also for the national team. Whatever he wants.

Torres could join former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard in senior management

Former Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez has tipped Torres to have a career in management

“He spoke to you very well, even when he was a child, 17, 18 years old. He is always respectable, both on and off the field, for his manners and demeanor. That should be a coach after all. An example both outside and inside the field. And he meets those conditions.’

Torres and Arbeloa were teammates at Anfield from 2007 to 2009, when the latter left the club to join Real Madrid – 18 months before the striker joined Premier League rival Chelsea.

Atletico Madrid legend Torres was previously assistant to Atletico’s U19 squad when they won their league last season.

Torres is now in charge of the team, following a host of former Liverpool teammates into management, including Arbeloa, Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso.

Arbeloa has the same role at Real Madrid, where he had previously coached the U17 squad – following in the footsteps of club legend Raul Gonzalez.

Alonso has been in charge of Real Sociedad’s ‘B’ side of late, winning them promotion to the Segunda two seasons ago.

Former team-mates of Liverpool and Spain, Torres (left) and Arbeloa (right) now manage the U19 sides for LaLiga rivals Atletico and Real Madrid

Gerrard has had the greatest success of that Liverpool side, winning the Scottish Premiership title with Rangers.

The former Liverpool captain, who formed a deadly partnership with Torres in the late 2000s, is now with Aston Villa, who are 15th in the Premier League.

Liverpool’s team of players like Alonso, Arbeloa, Gerrard and Torres came closest to winning a league title in the 2008-09 season, finishing four points behind eventual champions Manchester United.

Torres is one of Atletico’s most iconic players of all time and has been idolized by fans since breaking into the team in 2001 to sack them back to LaLiga after being relegated to the second division the previous season.

He remained a fan favorite even after joining Liverpool in 2007 and when he returned to the club in 2015, some 45,000 fans flocked to the Vicente Calderon to see him present.

He finally won a trophy with Atletico in his last season with the club and came off the bench in their 3-0 win over Marseille in the Europa League final.