Torres wants to emulate Dalglish and Fowler

Fernando Torres says he would love to emulate Liverpool legends Kenny Dalglish and Robbie Fowler, adding that he believes the club is close to winning major honours.

The Spanish striker, adored at Anfield, has ramped up his reputation at the Confederations Cup here, with a quick-fire hat-trick in his country's first game against New Zealand.

He said he had watched DVDs of Dalglish and Fowler's exploits and wanted to match them.

"When I was a kid I was always looking up to Atletico Madrid strikers but when I came to Liverpool I saw DVDs of Robbie Fowler and Kenny Dalglish," he told the club website.

"They are legends of Liverpool. One day I would like to be close to them." The number nine also believes the club is close to winning major honours once again.

"In the past two years, Manchester United have been the strongest team in Europe and we had to fight against them," he said.

"This year they have lost an important player (Cristiano Ronaldo), so maybe it is our time.

"When I signed for Liverpool the main thing was to win trophies for them. It has been frustrating for me because for a club like Liverpool to go two years without a trophy is too long. But I think it's coming."

Earlier this month, Torres vowed to stay at Liverpool long-term, telling Manchester United and Barcelona to forget about trying to lure him away.

"There is a lot of belief at the club and a lot of trust in the manager," he said at the time.

"I sincerely believe I will win the Premier League and the European Cup here. The winning tradition is very clear at Liverpool. I want to be involved in a little piece of their history."