Newcastle United have reportedly been handed a boost in the pursuit of versatile Barcelona attacker Ferran Torres, who is “seriously considering leaving” in search of regular football.
According to Fichajes, Ferran Torres could have already decided to leave Barcelona ahead of the January transfer window. The 23-year-old Spanish attacker could consider attractive offers for a change of scenery, especially if his role at Barca continues to diminish, with the news set to boost Newcastle United’s hopes of signing him.
Ferran Torres joined Barcelona from Manchester City for €55 million in 2022. Since then, the Spanish international has struggled to establish himself, especially in the wake of Robert Lewandowski’s move to Camp Nou.
He has shown signs of returning to his prolific best this season at Barcelona despite not getting as much playing time as he would like. The forward has netted five goals and provided one assist in 19 games in all competitions this season.
However, he has fallen down the pecking order under Xavi and has been a benchwarmer in recent games. And despite Lewandowski’s inconsistent form, Torres has failed to nail down a starting spot, which puts his long-term future under the scanner once again.
Although the former Valencia star made it clear in the summer that he wanted to stay, the lack of minutes and the arrival of Vitor Roque in January could make him change his mind.
Ferran Torres feels that he needs more minutes under his belt in the second half of the season, especially with the European Championships on the horizon in the summer of 2024. With that in mind, he could seek a fresh challenge where he will receive more regular minutes to stay in the good books of Luis de la Fuente.
The news does boost the hopes of a few suitors, including Newcastle, who have shown an interest in a winter move. As far as injury crises go, the Toon have it worse than anyone else right now. So that and their owners’ deep pockets make it inevitable that the Magpies are being linked with January reinforcements as they hope to secure Champions League football for a second consecutive season this term.
Eddie Howe is currently struggling to rotate his attack, with the likes of Callum Wilson, Harvey Barnes, and Jacob Murphy all currently on the sidelines. Ferran Torres represents a solid attacking talent, with Barcelona in need of sales to prop up their finances, and he would be one of the first they usher towards the door if Newcastle lodge an attractive offer.
