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Di Matteo denies Chelsea will swap Torres for Falcao

Radamel Falcao has been a revelation for Atletico Madrid © Getty Images

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Interim Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has dismissed suggestions that the club are preparing to swap Fernando Torres for Atletico Madrid forward Radamel Falcao.

Reports in sections of the English and Spanish media had suggested that the Blues were looking to swap Torres - who came through the ranks at the Madrid club, and was appointed captain at 19 - and £15m for Falcao, as the £50m Spaniard has struggled for goals at Stamford Bridge since moving from Liverpool at the start of 2011.

Falcao, on the other hand, has enjoyed a hugely successful debut season in Spain after joining from Porto last summer - scoring 35 goals, 12 of which helped guide Atleti to their second Europa League triumph in three years.

Di Matteo, however, dismissed suggestions that Torres will be used as a makeweight in a deal for the Colombian.

"This is only speculation," Di Matteo said. "I have a great relationship with Fernando, and I believe he will be here next season."

Falcao himself has also denied suggestions he could leave Atletico this summer, despite Los Rojiblancos' failure to qualify for the Champions League.

"I am enjoying the moment with Atletico Madrid, I can't waste that. Moreover, I have four more years on my contract and I am only thinking about this," Falcao told Spanish newspaper Sport.

"I think I am experiencing a special moment in my sporting career. I have obtained objectives that I had been thinking about for a long time, but I have a greater desire to continue growing and conquering other projects or dreams.''

However, Atleti's economic situation may force the sale of their prized asset as general manager Miguel Angel Gil hinted before Sunday's final round of league fixtures that failure to qualify for the Champions League would make it difficult to hold onto their better players, and Falcao is looking for clarity on the matter sooner rather than later.

"Obviously Gil said there was a necessity to qualify for the Champions League due to the economic side of things, but the club is making efforts to maintain the squad and we will have to wait and see how the make-up of the team is resolved in the coming months,'' he said.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.