Real Madrid are reportedly still in pursuit of Valencia wonderkid Ferran Torres, who is also a long-term target for Barcelona.
According to a report by Spanish publication AS, Real Madrid have maintained their long standing interest in Ferran Torres, having closely monitored his progress over the last few months. The teenage Valencia prodigy is also the subject of interest from Barcelona, who have taken a back seat in his pursuit.
Ferran Torres is the latest in a long line of young and exciting talents in Spain, having emanated from the fabled youth academy at Valencia. There has been a lot of interest and hype surrounding his talent in recent times, with the player making rapid strides within the club, while also being a mainstay for the Spanish Under-17 Side.
Real Madrid maintain interest in Valencia starlet Ferran Torres [AS]
Real will continue to keep a close eye on the 17-year-old winger, whose release clause is to go up from eight to 25m euros at the end of January. pic.twitter.com/He5FSlcoQL
— Madridista (@RaulMadrid4Life) January 7, 2018
This season, Torres first made the progression into the Valencia B side, and having played in the senior setup with the reserves, he has even broken into Marcelino’s side. The teenager was given his first-team bow in a Copa del Rey tie against Real Zaragoza in November, before earning his La Liga debut last month.
As Torres continues to progress at a rapid pace, it is hardly surprising that Spanish football royalty have set their sights on him. Real Madrid and Barcelona have been reported to be monitoring his progress for a long time, and Los Blancos are continuing their pursuit of the player.
Real Madrid’s interest in the 17-year-old continues a trend that has seen them invest considerably into youth footballers that are on the cusp of becoming regular first-team footballers.
Marco Asensio is a shining example of the same for Los Blancos, who brought him to the Bernabeu after a season within the Mallorca first-team setup. Real Madrid have also shelled out big bucks for Vinicius Junior, who is set to arrive at the Bernabeu in the coming summer.
Valencia, meanwhile, intend to keep Torres away from the clutches of Real Madrid by handing him a senior contract as well as a squad number at the end of the month. This development will also see his release clause rise from €8 million to €25 million.
But, Real Madrid are prepared to wait it out to further monitor the progress of a player who could potentially be a long-term replacement for Gareth Bale at the Bernabeu. The Spanish and European champions forked out a staggering €45 million for Vinicius Junior, which suggests that they will not hesitate in paying considerable sums for a player they believe in.
But, the player might have a better chance at becoming a regular at Valencia than at Real Madrid, and with Los Che starting to establish themselves as a force in La Liga once again, he might just stay. Valencia are powerless against the release clause though, and it remains to be seen how things pan out in the months to come.
