Barcelona are reportedly considering making a swoop for Manchester City’s Spanish forward Ferran Torres amid a dearth of quality attacking options.
According to a report from Spanish outlet Fichajes, La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are considering the possibility of signing Manchester City and Spain international attacker Ferran Torres next year.
A product of the Valencia youth academy, Torres went on to establish himself as one of the finest prospects in Spanish football after bursting into the first-team picture at the Mestalla Stadium. Impressed by his exploits with Los Che, Manchester City swooped in him to sign in the summer last year.
While Torres wasn’t an undisputed starter in Pep Guardiola’s side in his debut season, the 21-year-old added a lot of value to the team with his ability to play anywhere across the frontline, while also chipping in with 13 goals and three assists from 35 appearances across all competitions.
Torres was also a key part of the Spanish national team that made it as far as the semi-finals of the UEFA Euro 2020 earlier this summer. Impressed by his performances for club and country, Barcelona made an attempt to sign the 21-year-old from Manchester City during the last transfer window but were met with a firm rejection by the Premier League champions.
Despite having faced a rejection, it seems like Barcelona are not done with their interest in Torres and are considering a move for the Spanish international for the next year, although it is not clear if it would be in the January window or the summer. Nonetheless, a forward of Torres’ ability and potential would be a welcome addition at Camp Nou, following a summer of cull.
Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann departed in the summer, leaving Ronald Koeman with a serious dearth of quality in attack. Memphis Depay has shown positive signs since arriving but has lacked the requisite support from those around him, with Luuk de Jong looking like a huge misfit while Yusuf Demir still too young to make a telling impact.
Ansu Fati, Sergio Aguero and Ousmane Dembele continue to be sidelined with injuries, which has served to further expose Barcelona’s lack of quality in attack. And with Dembele’s contract running out next year, the Frenchman has once again been linked with a move to England, which could again leave a vacancy in the Blaugrana attack.
A move for AFC Ajax’s Brazilian sensation, Antony, has been mooted. However, someone like Torres, who has prior experience in La Liga and plays with some of the Barcelona stars at the international level could be a better fit for the club at the moment.
However, the 21-year-old has grown into an important player at the Etihad Stadium, featuring in seven games this term already, scoring three times. So, how Barcelona manage to convince Manchester City to part ways with the attacker, especially considering their financial woes, remains to be seen.
