Manchester City have slapped a €70 million price tag for their star player Ferran Torres amid Barcelona interest.
According to Marca, Barcelona have been dealt with a massive blow in their pursuit of Ferran Torres. It appears Manchester City have no intention of selling the player in the upcoming January transfer window, even on a loan deal. The club don’t find the deal viable enough for them, even if the player remains keen on moving elsewhere.
As such, Torres may only be available after the end of the season. But more importantly, there are now doubts on whether or not Barcelona can afford the Spaniard at all, with Manchester City valuing the player at around €70 million.
It could serve as a massive blow for the Catalans, who are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements in the upcoming January transfer window. The club’s marquee signing Sergio Aguero may have to abandon football due to his heart problem, while Luuk de Jong is not favoured by Xavi at all. The Dutchman may even leave Camp Nou in January.
While Memphis Depay has done well, for the most part, Barcelona certainly require a proper alternative who can not only provide competition but also offer support in the final third. Torres was identified as an ideal option due to his versatility and an excellent track record of scoring goals.
Since his move to Manchester City last summer, the Spaniard has scored nine goals in the Premier League, despite playing a total of just 1600 minutes across two seasons. His numbers in the Spanish national team are also excellent, with the former Valencia starlet netting 12 goals in just 22 caps.
In addition to his goalscoring prowess, Torres can play almost anywhere in the final third and had the experience of playing in La Liga. He is even willing to join Barcelona in January, having agreed personal terms with the club.
However, with Manchester City having no intention of parting ways with their star player in the mid-seasons, the Catalans may have to turn their attention towards other alternatives. A few weeks ago, Xavi was reportedly eyeing a bizarre move for Baghdad Bounedjah, but the Al-Sadd forward was more of a replacement for de Jong rather than a marquee player who is capable of making a difference.
Barcelona, though, have no shortage of options in the market. They have already opened talks with another Man City forward, Raheem Sterling, about a potential move in winter while the Catalans have also set their sights on Bernardo Silva as well, so it will be interesting to see how the English champions react in their bid to keep hold of their star players in January.
