Barcelona have reportedly lodged an offer worth €50 million to sign Manchester City forward Ferran Torres in January.
According to reputed Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Ferran Torres remains the priority target for Barcelona heading into the January transfer window. The Catalan giants have tabled a bid worth €50 million for the Spanish international, but Manchester City will only let him leave if they receive €60 million for him.
Ferran Torres joined Manchester City from Valencia in August 2020 and has since added layers to his game. The 21-year-old has discovered the ability to lead the line for his side thanks to Pep Guardiola’s tendency to experiment with his players’ roles. And such a development has also held him in good stead at the international level.
To date, the Spanish international has made 43 appearances for Manchester City, raking in 16 goals and four assists along the way. Torres’s exploits for club and country have not gone unnoticed, with some of the biggest clubs in Europe, including Barcelona, turning their attention towards him.
The interest from Barcelona is understandable in the wake of Sergio Aguero’s retirement. With the Argentine legend hanging up his boots, Xavi Hernandez’s only options to spearhead the Barcelona attack are Martin Braithwaite and Luuk de Jong. Neither striker inspires much confidence as a regular.
So, it behoves Barcelona to invest in a top-class attacker or two in the January transfer window, with Torres emerging as a viable target. To that end, the Catalan giants have been in talks with Manchester City over the possibility of a winter move for quite some time.
Personal terms will not be an issue for Barcelona, as they have already been agreed upon. However, there is a discrepancy between what the La Liga heavyweights have offered and the sum demanded by Manchester City. While a €50 million bid has been lodged, Manchester City will only let Torres leave if they can recoup €60 million from his sale.
So, it remains to be seen if Barcelona will raise their offer to sign Torres or stay adamant on paying €50 million. If the two clubs cannot zero in on a transfer fee, Barcelona could set their sights on Hakim Ziyech, with the Chelsea playmaker viewed as Plan B if the Torres deal does not see the light of the day.