Manchester City close in on deal to sign Valencia star
Written by darling on July 27, 2020
Manchester City are closing in on a deal to sign Valencia winger Ferran Torres.
Goal and SPOX reports that the 20-year-old, who is in the final 12 months of his contract at Mestalla, has agreed personal terms on a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium.
City and Valencia have not yet reached an agreement on a fee, but Torres is expected to initially cost somewhere between £27 million ($35m) and £36m ($47m), with the potential for add-ons.
The Spanish club need to raise money after failing to qualify for Europe next season, with Torres having turned down a number of offers to extend his current contract .
City boss Pep Guardiola is understood to have played a key part in convincing him to choose the Premier League side amid interest from a host of European clubs, including Manchester United and Juventus.
Borussia Dortmund’s England international Jadon Sancho remains a top target for United, with Torres seen as an alternative option at Old Trafford, while Juve could not persuade the Spain Under-21 international to move to Serie A.
Torres is keen to work with Guardiola and was convinced to move to City when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) lifted the two-year ban from the Champions League imposed on the club by UEFA.
Bundesliga side Dortmund were also interested in Torres, with BVB sports director Michael Zorc even having met the Spaniard’s agent. However, any move was seen as dependent on Sancho’s departure.
Guardiola has prioritised the signing of a new winger after Germany international Leroy Sane left for Bayern Munich in a deal worth an initial €49m (£44.7m/$55m).
City are set for a significant investment in their first-team squad this summer after failing to challenge Liverpool for the Premier League title.
New centre-backs are high on the club’s wanted list, with Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake a target.
The possibility that the Netherlands international will leave the Cherries looks more likely after his side were relegated from the Premier League on Sunday.
Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly is another defender that the club are looking at, but a potential fee of £70m ($88m) could be too high, while the Senegal star is also keen to remain with the Serie A club.
