Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes says that he is lost for words when it comes to describing the loss of form that Fernando Torres has experienced since 2011.

The Spaniard was once one of the most feared strikers in the world. After moving to Chelsea, though, Torres managed to score only around only goal for every three matches. In fact, his replacement, Diego Costa is already inching closer towards Torres’ entire tally of league goals for Chelsea despite playing for the club only since the summer. Scholes says that Torres was so good in his Liverpool days that he even wanted him to join Manchester United.

United were seen as the potential destination before Liverpool managed to secure his signature in 2007. Scholes says that the present struggles for Torres is largely a matter of confidence. Torres scored an amazing 24 goals in his first season at Liverpool. However, he never came close to matching his tally after moving to Chelsea. Now at AC Milan, the striker does not seem to have rediscovered his scoring touch. He has managed to find the back of the net only once in the 10 league matches. Torres is expected to complete his nightmare spell at Milan by moving to Atletico Madrid on a loan deal.

“What has happened to Torres is remarkable. From the player he was in 2009, when he gave Nemanja Vidic such a hard time at Old Trafford, to the player he has become, has been one of those mysteries in football.I realise that at times at Chelsea, especially in 2012-13, he did have some decent goalscoring runs. But overall the decline has been sharp. At his best he was the kind of player I would have loved to have had at United. Then things changed for him at Chelsea,” said Scholes.