Barcelona have held a long-term interest in Manchester City’s Ferran Torres. That interest has intensified in recent weeks. The Spanish club are in a difficult financial situation which makes the signing of the City star somewhat unrealistic. Yet, they are not ready to give up. This is because there are some special characteristics of Torres’s style of play. These characteristics are what Barcelona need.
Player’s Background
Torres had a strong passion for football right from a very young age. Born in a Valencian community named Foios, it wouldn’t be long for him to join the Valencia youth setup at the age of six. Since then, his passion for the game has manifested in his playing style. He wouldn’t have much problem developing through the youth systems of Valencia. This was due to his desire and consistency.
Consequently, Torres made his first team debut for Valencia on November 30th, 2017. The 21-year old rapidly proved himself in competitions like the Champions League and LaLiga. This he did before joining Manchester City in August 2020. He has continued to develop at the English club. And he eventually earned a callup to the Spanish national team, where he has scored 12 goals in 22 games.
Why is Ferran Torres needed at Barcelona?
While there are wingers who are apparently better than Torres, it is not that easy to find one who is technically dynamic like him. The attacker’s main position is the right wing. Although he can use both feet well and can fit into any role in attack. He is a good scorer as well. But those are just the things required of him as an attacker. Technically, there are other reasons Barcelona want to add him to their squad.
The first and most important aspect of Torres’ style that makes him a recurring target for Barcelona is his passing ability. Torres naturally carries the ball at his feat without looking at the ball. This makes it easier for him to instinctively locate teammates with the right passes and crosses in the opposition’s box. For a team like Barcelona, who rely on passes, having Torres will be a mouthwatering addition.
Unpredictability is another of Torres’ styles that will be useful to Barcelona. With his strengths being his pace, dribbling, and work rate, there are many ways he can be a threat to the opposition defence. An opponent’s defender can’t be sure of Torres’ move in attack. As a wide winger, Torres often has a handful of decisions to choose from. One of them is running behind the defence to release his teammates in the box.
Weakness
Torres contributes a lot in attack. But that attacking mindset gets him less involved in defense. Nevertheless, having a player high up the pitch could be very helpful for Barcelona during counter-attacks. This is something the club is not really renowned for.
Conclusion
Barcelona have a winger who has similar technical attributes to Torres’. This player is Ousmane Dembele, whose contract renewal is still a problem. Sealing a deal for Ferran Torres will provide Barcelona with another wide player who can be counted on if Dembele leaves. It would, however, be better to have both stars as it would suit Xavi Hernandez’s tactical plan. The manager wants wide attackers on both wings. Torres’ arrival will certainly balance the equation.
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