Fernando Torres: Chelsea striker insisting on permanent AC Milan deal - reports

Torres keen to leave after slipping to third in Chelsea pecking order

Fernando Torres missed another sitter in pre-season (Getty Images)

AC Milan's attempts to sign Fernando Torres have hit a snag as the Chelsea flop wants a permanent deal rather than a loan, according to reports.

The Italian club, who have just sold Mario Balotelli to Liverpool for £16m, initially wanted Torres on a 12-month loan with Chelsea subsidising some of his £170,000-a-week wages.

But the Spaniard is not keen on a loan move, according to the Daily Mirror, and will instead hold out for a permanent deal.

Torres, signed by Chelsea for £50m in January 2011, has slipped to third in Chelsea's pecking order behind new £32m man Diego Costa, who has two in two goals for his new club, and returning hero Didier Drogba.

The 30-year-old was left out of the squad for the game against Leicester last weekend but Jose Mourinho insisted in his post-match press conference that he had no plans to sell.

Chelsea would be left short of options up front were they to allow Torres to leave.

According to the paper, Milan president Adriano Galliani is confident of bringing Torres in before the match against Lazio at the weekend - he is also chasing a loan move for Marco van Ginkel, the young Dutch midfielder who spent almost all of last year out injured.

Milan were considering a move for Samuel Eto'o but have lost out to Everton, and would be unlikely to meet Chelsea's valuation, believed to be around £25m.