December 28, (THEWILL) – Ferran Torres has finalised a move to Barcelona, according to Manchester City and the Catalan club.
“Ferran Torres has left Manchester City and completed a permanent move to Barcelona,” read a statement on the City website. This was soon corroborated by Barcelona themselves.
Barca stated that they had reached an agreement with City to buy Ferran Torres for about €65 million in a contract signed until June 2027, after the youngster’s 18-month stint in the Premier League. The Spanish side is expected to pay an initial €55 million (£46.7 million) plus up to €10 million (£8.5 million) in add-ons.
City paid €23 million to bring Torres from Valencia in 2020. This deal means that they have more than doubled their investment in a player who has never genuinely been considered a first-choice starter.
Barcelona was linked with Torres during the pre-season, but their dire financial situation made transfer expenditures difficult to engage in and saw the exits of key players.
The club’s debts have surpassed €1.4 billion this year, and as a result of their financial performance, their LaLiga pay ceiling was reduced by €280 million to just €97 million, resulting in their inability to keep club icon Lionel Messi.
As a result, Barcelona’s pay cap dropped from the second highest last season to seventh in 2021-22.
Speculation about Torres’ signing had many wondering how Barcelona could suddenly afford such a large transfer fee so fast, but sources indicate they recently took out a large loan to ensure a capacity to bring in talent required to salvage their season.
Torres’ arrival means that new coach Xavi now has the type of youthful, dynamic attacker he was looking for, with the 21-year-old capable of playing through the middle and out on the right, where he was most often utilised at Valencia.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
