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Barcelona have completed the signing of Ferran Torres from Manchester City for an initial fee of €55 million. The Spaniard has signed a contract for the next five seasons, tying him to the club until June 30, 2027, and has a buyout clause of €1 billion. The 21-year-old is considered one of Spain's most promising talents and is the first significant transfer of the Xavi era at Barcelona.
Currently out of action due to a fractured foot, Torres is scheduled to return from injury in mid-January. The Spaniard is set to be unveiled at the Camp Nou on January 3. Here are six reasons why his signing makes perfect sense for Barcelona.
#1 A versatile forward
Torres is a highly versatile player who can play in all three positions on the forward line. He has traditionally played as a wide forward who likes to cut inside from the right side of the park. However, in Pep Guardiola’s City side, he was also deployed as a False 9.
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In the past, Barcelona has played with intelligent forwards, blessed with the ability to read the game. Torres, too, possesses tactical acumen and has benefitted from Guardiola’s coaching at City. His playing style has been compared to former Barcelona striker David Villa.
#2 Torres's clinical finishing
Torres’s clinical finishing is much-needed at Barcelona at the moment. Under Guardiola, the Spaniard made just 31 starts and scored 16 goals in all competitions for City. Torres has scored 12 goals in just 22 matches for the Spanish national team and has been a real difference-maker. Torres’s performances often outshine his expected goals (xG) and assists (xA) numbers. This tells us that he makes the most of smaller chances.
#3 The new Barcelona attacking trio!
With the arrival of the 21-year-old, Xavi can field an attacking trio consisting of Ansu Fati, Ousmane Dembele, and Torres. The three players are incredibly flexible in terms of their position. Dembele can play on either wing, while Fati can play as a striker or on the left flank. A defender's nightmare, this explosive attacking trio could make marking very difficult due to their fluidity.
The fact that Barcelona's attack has players with different profiles makes it potent. Dembele's raw speed and acceleration can be a good combination with Fati's precision and positioning and Torres's clinical touch. The attack can also give the midfielders options to make attacking runs.
Barcelona have a bad injury record and there are a lot of matches to be played over the season. It is therefore imperative to have a deep squad. Xavi has players like Memphis Depay, Ez Abde and Ferran Jutgla at his disposal, who can be deployed when needed.
#4 Balancing finances and football
Barcelona’s financial woes are no secret, however, Torres’s transfer makes fiscal sense as well. They can spend in January after recently receiving sizeable investment via a bank loan. Sergio Aguero’s retirement has also freed up some space in the Blaugrana’s wage books. This has made it possible for management to adhere to the La Liga salary cap. Torres has also taken a wage reduction to join the club.
Barcelona will pay an initial £46.3 million (€55 million) plus a further £8.4 million (€10 million) in add-ons for the forward. The €55 million is reported to be paid in four installments, and the first installment is not due till the following summer. Some £5.9 million (€7 million) of those add-ons are said to be more or less guaranteed.
The variables will have to be paid if Barcelona wins the Champions League and Torres plays 70% of the games. Some additional add-ons will need to be paid if Torres wins the Ballon d'Or or the Golden Boot and if Barcelona sells Torres for more than €100 million.
Barcelona will now focus on reworking existing contracts or offloading players from its first-team squad. The Catalan giants are looking to appease La Liga's financial fair play rules. Hence, the deal looks good for Barcelona while balancing the football and financial aspects.
#5 Torres's Spanish connection
Torres has been a key component of Luis Enrique's young attacking line. The Spaniard has scored some memorable goals for his country. Torres scored the crucial third goal of the Euro 2020 round of 16 match against Croatia, resulting in a 5–3 victory. Torres scored both goals in Spain's 2–1 away win over reigning European Champions Italy in the semi-finals of the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League.
He has also formed partnerships with his Barcelona teammates Ansu Fati and Gavi for La Roja. This can be beneficial for both Barcelona and Spain.
#6 One for the future
Torres is a talented player with lots of potential. His best years are still ahead of him. He has learned a lot and gained a vast pool of experience working under Guardiola and Luis Enrique. Under Xavi, he is bound to hone his skills more.
Barcelona’s transfer activity in the past few years have lacked proper planning. They have overpaid and impulsively bought players like Philippe Coutinho and Dembele, who have struggled to find a footing at Nou Camp. Barcelona’s approach must change under the regime of new president Joan Laporta. As per reports, Xavi has a clear plan for the player to fit his system of play. Torres ticks all of the right boxes and could become an integral part of the Barcelona rebuild under Xavi.
