FERNANDO TORRES is ready to quit Liverpool if they don't make BIG signings next summer.
And he did NOT rule out going to Manchester United.

It is a devastating blow for Reds fans who fear their best player will walk out of the club to fulfil his ambition of winning trophies.

Fed-up Torres openly admitted the possibility of quitting UNLESS the club can form a competitive side by signing FIVE world-class players in the summer.

Asked whether he is planning to quit Anfield if they fail to make the top four and a Champions League spot, Torres gave a far from appeasing response for the Reds faithful.

He said: "It's too early to talk. Sincerely I believe we are going to be fourth but qualifying for the Champions League is not that important for me.

"What is really important is that the club makes a big effort and brings great players that are above the quality of the squad.

"We need four or five players of the highest level to compete, better than the ones we have, that make all of us grit our teeth and make us fight for our place.

"Without strengthening, what's the point of finishing fourth and fight once again next season just to be in the top four."

This is the worst season the Anfield giants have had in years. Nine defeats in the league — the latest at Wigan on Monday — have left them huffing and puffing for a Champions League spot.

The Reds are out of this season's Champions League, the FA Cup and the Carling Cup, and also crashed to a 1-0 loss at Lille in the first leg of their Europa League tie on Thursday.

Torres made it clear that next season he wants to be in a team that is challenging for honours and admitted that Liverpool currently do not have a team good enough to do that.

He added: "Next season I want to fight to win the Premier League, to win the Champions or the Europa League but to achieve that we have to make signings.

"There are many circumstances and a lot of things have to happen so it's very early to talk about that but I have this one and three more years of contract."

Even more worryingly, though, Torres left open the possibility of a move to hated rivals Manchester United.

The question in Spanish newspaper AS could not be clearer. When asked if it is as impossible to join Manchester United as it is for him to go to Real Madrid as a former Atletico player, Torres replied: "No, but I have left my home and it's clear that I owe a lot to Liverpool, and I am very happy here, the people have treated me as if I were from here.

"But I am going to think about my future and I hope it is here, I think these people deserve to win. Above than thinking about me I think the club deserves to get back to winning ways, but even themselves right now know they are far from that."

He added: "The fans are worried that players might leave, that is a problem when you start fearing that your players will go.

"It's because you know the club is not going forward but I think this is not the course that the club will follow.

"Since the arrival of Christian Purslow, Liverpool had an important injection of cash. We signed a new sponsor with a lot of money, the same level as Real Madrid, so things will move forward."

But Torres admitted that the side's failings have left him disillusioned.

He said: "I expected this season would be fundamental for me. It seemed we had aspirations to win the League and in the Champions League we would be the same competitive team as always, fighting till the end, and of course with the season finishing in South Africa.

"It seemed it could be the best season and it's been the complete opposite. There have been despairing moments, of frustration, moments where everything went wrong and it turned around in your mind a thousand times.

"But you still look for positives and at this stage of the season let's see if we can win the Europa League, we will try to finish fourth and demand that next season they make signings of a high level so we can compete."

And he once again left open a possible departure from Anfield, adding: "I owe a lot to Liverpool and I am proud to be part of its history and to continue to break records and within a few years, I don't know for how many clubs I will have played but it's certain that I will be proud to have played for Liverpool."