AC Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari says he will be sad to see striker Fernando Torres leave the club.

Torres will complete a permanent move to the Rossoneri from Chelsea on January 5 but is expected to then be immediately loaned out to his former club Atletico Madrid with Italian international winger Alessio Cerci heading in the opposite direction.

Speaking yesterday in Dubai ahead of tomorrow’s friendly match against Real Madrid at the 7he Sevens, Muntari said: “It’s a pity that he’s leaving because he’s one of our top players. Aside from being a good player, he’s a great man. A really, really good lad.

“We had a great six months with him here but that’s part of football. I wish him luck that he will become the Torres that we know he is.”

Torres' miserable Chelsea form has continued into his loan spell at the San Siro with the striker netting just once in 10 appearances, but Dutch international Nigel De Jong is confident he will soon rediscover his scoring touch, even if it is not with the Italian giants.

De Jong said: “I’m not surprised entirely because Fernando was not really playing for us in the last couple of games but he is a great player.

“I have been training with him week in, week out and he is such a hard grafter.

“We all believe that his game is still to score goals and it’s on him to show the world that he’s still a class player. Maybe we can see in the next couple of weeks how he does at Atletico.”