What on earth is Rafa Benitez up to, telling the football world that Liverpool have received some “very big offers” for Fernando Torres?

If that doesn't send the rumour mill into overdrive, I don't know what will. I can think of at least six clubs who'll be putting two and two together – Torres + Offers – and getting all excited at the thought.

Yes, we know that Rafa also mentioned that they'd had offers for Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano, but Torres? Why would he want to throw that little time bomb into the summer transfer mix? That's like a red rag to a bull on the streets of Pamplona. Stampede!

Of course he followed up by saying that the club have no intention of selling; that Torres is happy at Anfield and wants to stay; and he wanted to “send out a message” that Liverpool are building for the future, not selling their best players.

This, of course, is the standard response whenever a club suddenly realises that something is amiss. Manchester United spent two years fending off rumours, counter-rumours, illegal approaches agents provocateurs and everything else that goes into the crazy transfer market package, in an effort to keep Cristiano Ronaldo. They failed in the end.

AC Milan were never going to win their fight to hold on to Kaka once Real Madrid came in with a lorry load of Euros.

With seven straight French title wins between 2002 and 2008 you'd have thought that Olympique Lyonnais would have been able to hold on to Karim Benzema. No way were they going to let him go – but of course he joined the gold-plated caravan to Madrid

Zlatan Ibrahimavic, who posed not the slightest threat to Manchester United in two Champions League matches last season, is now being touted as a £60m super striker – and Chelsea seem likely to part with another chunk of Roman Abramovich's fortune.

Bayern Munich are threatening anyone who comes within touching distance of Franck Ribery but it's the usual posturing and he will be on his way as soon as one of the big spenders comes a-knocking.

The common factor with all these signings and targets is that they are all goal-scorers – guys who know exactly where the back of the net is. It's the top requirement when clubs start their summer recruitment drive.

So perhaps it's not such a surprise that some “very big offers” have been made for Torres. Real Madrid, Manchester United, Barcelona, Chelsea – take your pick. These are the only clubs (plus perhaps Manchester City) that could afford to try and prise the hottest striking property currently plying his trade in the Premier League away from Anfield.

Liverpool fans will be repulsed by the very thought, but they, more than most, should know that cash is king.

I'm not suggesting for one minute that Torres is on his way to Old Trafford, but I do think that Rafa would have been better advised to keep that little gem to himself.