Speaking recently on the Euro Football Daily YouTube show, host Dougie Critchley revealed the figure Manchester City want to pay for Valencia winger Ferran Torres.
Since making his Valencia first-team debut back in 2017, 20-year-old Torres has already gone on to make an impressive 97 appearances for the club, scoring nine goals and providing 12 assists.
This season, the winger has thrived, scoring four goals and providing five assists over his 34 appearances in La Liga, as well as netting two goals and providing two assists over his six appearances in the Champions League, averaging a WhoScored match rating of 7.47/10 at the highest level of football Europe has to offer.
As a result of these performances, Manchester City have been heavily linked with a move for the player this summer, and Critchley recently revealed on the Euro Football Daily YouTube show the figure Pep Guardiola’s side would be willing to pay for the youngster.
He said: “Following Leroy Sane’s departure to Bayern Munich, they [City] seem to have already identified his replacement – Valencia’s Ferran Torres.
“Torres has just completed his third season in Los Che’s first team, and this campaign notched up four goals and five assists in 34 La Liga appearances and adding a further four goal contributions in less than 500 minutes of Champions League action.
“You’d think that an asset like that would warrant a firm hands-off warning from a team with aspirations like Valencia. However, the Under-21 international sees his contract expire next summer, and has indicated no desire to remain at the Mestalla.
“So, with the intention of selling now to at least make some money off the player who joined them as a six-year-old, the club will reluctantly let him go. But, Manchester City and Valencia are some way apart in their valuation of the winger.
“The Spaniards have set the asking price at £40 million for Torres, who has been likened in skillset to Sadio Mane. However, City are only prepared to pay £32 million for a player also compared to Cristiano Ronaldo.
“But, with apparent competition from Juventus and rivals Liverpool and Manchester United, Pep may need to relent and accept Valencia’s demands.”
TIF Thoughts…
From Critchley’s comments, it would seem that he is suggesting that Manchester City should raise their bid for the highly-rated 20-year-old in order to fend off other potential suitors.
Would you like to see Manchester City land Ferran Torres?
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And with comparisons seemingly drawn between the winger and both of Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo, this would not seem like a very bad idea at all.