Barcelona get green light, but one hurdle left to clear in Man City deal
Manchester City attacker Ferran Torres has reportedly agreed a five-year deal at Barcelona, after the LaLiga club confirmed they can spend in the January transfer window.
The Spanish giants have been crippled by the Covid-19 pandemic and their summer signings were all free transfers. It was thought that their financial position would prevent them from significantly adding to their squad next month. But those fears have been allayed and new boss Xavi has earmarked Torres as the man he wants to sign.
Barca CEO Ferran Reverter, speaking a presentation about the Camp Nou renovation, said: “There is no doubt that Barcelona will sign or can sign [players] in January and the summer.”
That news will no doubt send the Barca transfer speculation into overdrive. And according to Mundo Deportivo, a move for 21-year-old Torres is advanced.
Barcelona vice-president Rafael Yuste declared their admiration for the player recently.
“Ferran is a great player and we are working with discretion,” he said, whilst also admitting Reverter had paid a “courtesy call”.
Xavi also knows his side are lacking goals after losing Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Sergio Aguero.
Apparently tames of Torres and Dani Olmo have been put forward by Xavi to Barca chief Mateu Alemany. And a deal for Torres now seems down to whether Barca can agree a fee with City.
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Torres to ‘fulfil his dream’
Meanwhile, Torres is apparently eager to “fulfil his dream” and move to the Camp Nou.
But the sticking point will be the fee. City want £59m (€70m) for the attacker they signed for just £20.8m plus bonuses in August 2020.
Mundo suggest Barca will be happy to go to €55m for the former Valencia man they class as a “strategic signing”.
What is more, City boss Pep Guardiola did little to dampen the talk ahead of the game at Aston Villa.
“It’s not my business. You have to call Txiki [Begiristain, City’s director of football] for that, or the agent for Ferran Torres or Barcelona,” said Guardiola.
“I’m not the guy to talk about that. I completely understand. I would prefer not, but it is what it is. We cannot control that and it depends on many, many things.”
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