Barcelona are reportedly ready to offer €45 million to secure the services of Ferran Torres, valued at €60 million by Manchester City.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona and Manchester City are primed to reach an impasse over the ideal transfer fee for Ferran Torres. While the Premier League champions are demanding €60 million for the Spaniard, the Catalan giants are only willing to offer €45 million to sign him.
Ferran Torres joined Manchester City from Valencia in August 2020 and has since made a distinct impression at the Etihad. While he has not featured prominently for the Citizens, the 21-year-old has impressed with his ability to play across the attacking line. Such a trait has given Pep Guardiola a viable alternative in the absence of natural strikers apart from Gabriel Jesus.
To date, Torres has turned out 43 times for Manchester City, amassing 16 goals and four assists in the process. At the same time, he has also established himself as a key figure for the Spanish national side, while his exploits have piqued the interest of Barcelona.
The Catalan giants are in a spot of bother due to the profligacies of their attacking unit this season. Memphis Depay started the campaign strongly but has tailed off considerably in recent weeks and is linked with a possible departure. In addition, with former Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero sidelined due to a heart condition, Barcelona’s need for a striker has been accentuated.
Martin Braithwaite is only a backup option at best, while Luuk de Jong has failed to impress since arriving on loan from Sevilla. With Ousmane Dembele facing an uncertain future at Barcelona, it behoves the Blaugrana to bolster their attack in January, with Ferran Torres emerging as a key target, who has already reached an agreement to join the club.
However, Barcelona’s financial woes mean they cannot afford Manchester City’s asking price for the Spanish forward, with widespread reports claiming they are willing to offer a part-exchange deal. However, Manchester City will prefer recouping a cash sum for Torres, demanding €60 million.
On the other hand, Barcelona will only offer €45 million in exchange for his services, which has created an impasse between the two clubs. While Manchester City will not stand in Torres’ way, they will only let him depart if their demands are met.
In addition, Barcelona will also need to offload at least one player in the January transfer window to maintain financial fair play and make room for Torres in the squad. So, it remains to be seen if the La Liga heavyweights can land the Manchester City forward and if they convince Manchester City to see through a €45 million deal.
