Barcelona forward Ferran Torres knows that Arsenal are interested in securing his transfer in January. The Gunners have also held a long-term appreciation of the Spain international.
That is according to Dean Jones, who reports that a move from Mikel Arteta to sign the 22-year-old could materialise. The Gunners boss is scouting the market to sign fresh attacking options to support his current crop. But his club failed to seal a deal for Mykhaylo Mudryk.
Chelsea hijacked the Emirates Stadium natives’ interest in the Ukraine forward and signed Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk. The Blues spent £62m, plus £26.5m in add-ons, for the 22-year-old. They also handed Mudryk a contract until 2031 worth in excess of £100k-a-week.
The Independent reported that Arsenal were prepared to pay Mudryk £50k-a-week had he joined the north London club. Now, Arteta is turning the Gunners’ attention elsewhere for mid-season reinforcements that could fire his team to the Premier League title this season.
Torres is aware that he has long been a target of Arsenal – despite Barcelona only securing his transfer last January. The La Liga powerhouse paid Manchester City £46.5m, plus £8.5m in add-ons. He signed a £62k-a-week contract to 2027 with a €1bn (£880m) release clause.
Edu has held talks with Barcelona over Torres’ potential transfer to Arsenal
Reports by 90min have also cited Arsenal’s interest in Torres’ transfer from Barcelona this January. It also notes that the Gunners have approached the Blaugrana to explore the 35-cap forward’s availability. The team’s sporting director, Edu, has spearheaded talks so far.
But Arteta is likely to miss out on another of his targets should the Emirates Stadium team pursue the Foios-born attacker. The Athletic reports that Torres is a transfer target of the Arsenal manager and other staff at the north London team yet wants to stay at Barcelona.
Edu will have to make Barcelona and Torres an offer that neither could reject to secure his transfer to Arsenal. Yet the Valencia product, who only spent 18 months with Manchester City, has only scored 12 and assisted seven goals in 48 games since moving to Camp Nou.
Guardiola was effusive with praise while Torres was at Manchester City
The versatile forward has also only offered five goals and one assist in 22 games so far this season. He hit 16 goals and created another four in 43 games with the Citizens. Nine of his goals and three assists also came in the Premier League to earn praise from Pep Guardiola.
“I’m delighted for the three goals,” Guardiola said, via the Manchester Evening News, after Torres scored a hat-trick at Newcastle United in May 2021. “He has incredible numbers for his first season in England – he didn’t play much for two months and came as a winger.
“He can play on both sides and make incredible runs in behind. But maybe I have to think about him playing as a striker because every time he plays in that position, he always has a real sense of goal.
“Today he made an incredible first one. But I think the last two is a big example of the intuition to know exactly where the ball comes and being there to score a goal. He was fantastic all season, an incredible signing for us that can play in three positions up front.”
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