Blues sell Sergio Torres (From Bucks Free Press)

Blues sell Sergio Torres

2:13pm Thursday 10th July 2008

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WYCOMBE'S most popular player Sergio Torres has been sold to League One Peterborough United - just four months after agreeing a new two-year deal at Adams Park.

The fans favourite who turns 27 today is the fourth big name player to leave Wycombe this summer following the departures of Stefan Oakes, Sam Stockley and Russell Martin - who has also joined Boro.

The Argentinian's fee is undisclosed and is part of a package deal, combined with the fee for defender Martin, who the club agreed to sell last month.

Twenty per cent of the profit Blues make on Torres, who they bought from Basingstoke for an initial fee of £5,000 three years ago which rose to £17,000 after 40 appearances, will go to the Hampshire club.

Torres said: "This is the hardest decision I have ever had to make and I just hope that the supporters will understand. I am going to miss them and all the people at Wycombe. It is a fantastic club and I never wanted to leave but I might never get the chance to play at a higher level again."

Blues rejected Boro's initial bid but the ambitious London Road club returned with an improved offer which was accepted.

Wanderers boss Peter Taylor said: "I am disappointed and sorry to see Sergio go. He wanted to go and better himself and we didn't want to stand in his way. If he'd said please don't sell me we wouldn't have, but he wanted the opportunity to play at a higher level.

"Sergio feels he has given the club good service and there's no doubt that he has but he said he wanted the opportunity to join Peterborough and as soon as he said that it made up my mind to accept the bid.

"If it had been two or three days before the season started I would have maybe thought differently but at least it gives us a chance to get another player in to fill the hole."

Taylor admits finding someone to fill the flamboyant playmaker's boots won't be easy.

He said: "He is going to be very difficult to replace because he is an exciting player and he would have got more goals for me than he's scored before. I would have made sure he got into better goalscoring opportunities.

"But I think we are getting good money for him and it saves us going to tribunal on Russell Martin's fee.

"I've got no doubt I will get a little bit of money from the sale to buy a player, but I'm realistic I'm not expecting to go out and spend a big transfer fee and big wages for a replacement.

"We've got to be realistic. We're League Two and I think there are players out there who we can get at good prices who will do us a good job.

"His type of player is going to be very difficult to replace and we may have to change a little bit and if I'm brutally honest here the team scored 52 goals last season and I think we can get someone in to make more goals. If we only score 52 goals again this year that won't be enough."

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