Barcelona forward Ferran Torres is reportedly under the radar of Newcastle United.
The Spain international, 23, has failed to live up to the lofty expectations at Nou Camp following his £55million transfer from Manchester City in January 2022. He scored seven goals in his first 26 appearances but fell out of favour under head coach Xavi Hernandez following the arrival of Robert Lewandowski just months after joining.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, cash-strapped Barcelona are open to offloading Ferran Torres next year to help balance the books, with Newcastle United interested in giving the player an opportunity to return to the Premier League. The report adds that an offer of around £35m would be enough to secure the services of the Spanish attacker.
Torres has managed three goals in 12 La Liga appearances so far this season, as Barcelona lie third in the table. He has been impactful in the Champions League, scoring twice and assisting once in four appearances to put Xavi’s side in a commanding position to qualify for the knockout rounds.
Ferran Torres to Newcastle United—Right option for Eddie Howe?
Newcastle United are hoping to qualify for the Champions League for a second successive season this term, especially with the top five Premier League clubs slated to go through. The Toon Army currently sit seventh, five points behind fifth-placed Aston Villa, while their hopes of reaching the knockouts in the elite European competition hang in the balance.
Owing to a raft of injuries, the club has failed to hit the consistency levels of last season and suffered in recent weeks. As a result, Eddie Howe could persuade the club to make a couple of signings in January to boost their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League again. As Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak have been hit with injury problems, a forward has to be on Howe’s agenda going into the winter window.
Ferran Torres, in that regard, would be a good fit for Newcastle. The 23-year-old is a flexible forward who can play anywhere across the front line, which could solve Newcastle’s problem of lack of quality depth in the attacking ranks. In addition, he would be a good option to rotate with Anthony Gordon and Miguel Almiron on the wings with Harvey Barnes sidelined with a foot injury.
Due to his past Premier League experience with Man City, Torres may manage to hit the ground running at Newcastle if a deal goes through. The Spain international’s pace, dynamism, flair and ability to finish off moves would undoubtedly boost the Magpies’ attacking options.
The opportunity to be a part of Eddie Howe’s booming project at Newcastle is difficult to turn down. But it will be interesting to see if Torres is ready to leave Barcelona after just two years.
