'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Premier League side Newcastle United are reportedly willing to pay €40 million to sign Barcelona attacker Ferran Torres in the summer transfer window.
The Spain international has had an underwhelming spell with the Catalan side since joining from Manchester City in January 2022 for a fee of €55 million. Torres has managed 16 appearances this season across all competitions, bagging five goals and two assists.
Overall, the 23-year-old forward has played 87 matches for Barcelona, scoring 19 goals and assisting 11. Amid these circumstances, Spanish publication Fichajes.net has claimed that La Blaugrana would be willing to let go of Torres in the near future.
Should the Spanish star decide to join Newcastle, he would be no stranger to the Premier League. Previously, the attacker played for English football giants Manchester City, where he bagged 16 goals and four assists from 43 appearances across competitions.
Currently, Eddie Howe uses Miguel Almiron and Anthony Gordon out wide at St. James' Park. Torres' addition would provide the manager with more options down the Newcastle flanks.
The Barcelona man can also play as a number-nine. However, given the presence of strikers Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak, he is unlikely to perform that role at Newcastle.
It will be interesting to see whether Torres does indeed return to English football next summer.
When Pep Guardiola opened up about Ferran Torres' decision to join Barcelona
Ferran Torres decided to join Barcelona from Manchester City in the January 2022 window after spending a year-and-a-half at the Eithad. He completed a transfer from Valencia to the Cityzens in the summer of 2020 for a fee of €33.5 million.
After moving to Manchester City, Torres wasn't seen as a sure-shot starter under Pep Guardiola. He managed 15 starts in the Premier League and four in the UEFA Champions League during the 2020/21 season.
Before leaving in the 2021/22 campaign, the attacker played just four league games amid injury issues. Addressing the player's departure, Guardiola said at the time (via BBC Sport):
"If he wants to leave, absolutely no disappointment. It's his desire. I'm happy for him. If you want to leave because you're not happy here, you believe you'll be happy in another place, you have to go. The career is short."
Torres won the Premier League and one other trophy during his spell with Guardiola's side.
