Tottenham could battle Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid for La Liga star.
Tottenham Hotspur may have had two underwhelming seasons in a row in the Premier League, but now the hierarchy are learning from their past mistakes and backing their head coach to the hilt. They have loosened their purse strings and splashed the cash on six new signings.
The north London club’s most impressive summer business has been the signings of Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali. The chiefs have smashed their transfer record twice to sign Fernandes and Tonali for a combined £185m. With the defence also strengthened following the arrivals of Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke, Roberto De Zerbi wants to bolster his attacking options next.
Over the last few days, several outlets have claimed that the Lilywhites are exploring a move for AC Milan star Rafael Leao, as Roberto De Zerbi aims to add a top-class left-winger to his squad. Indeed, Spurs have scheduled a meeting with Leao, his agents and AC Milan later this week to try and find an agreement.
In addition to Leao, Spurs have now been linked with another versatile forward.
Tottenham interested in Barcelona forward
According to an exclusive report from CaughtOffside, Tottenham and Aston Villa are showing an interest in Barcelona forward Ferran Torres. The Spanish international is not deemed untouchable by the Barcelona hierarchy this summer, with Atletico Madrid showing the strongest interest.
Ferran Torres is currently on World Cup duty. He has registered an assist from five games for Spain, who have booked a quarter-final showdown with Belgium on July 11. The 26-year-old’s future is expected to be decided after the World Cup.
With just a year left on his contract, and Barcelona closing in on the signing of Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund, Torres is set to be cashed in. The report adds that the Spanish champions have placed a €35m asking price on his head, putting the likes of Tottenham, Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid on red alert.
Spurs must beat Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid to Ferran Torres’ signing
Tottenham have done wonders in the transfer market by pulling off big-money deals for Tonali and Fernandes. They have shown great intent to help De Zerbi build a squad capable of challenging for the European spots and domestic trophies next season.
The North Londoners have focused on recruiting Premier League-proven, seasoned campaigners for immediate success, and Torres fits that category thanks to his stint with Manchester City. The Spanish attacker spent two seasons with Manchester City, where he scored 16 goals in 43 appearances and won the Premier League title.
From a Tottenham point of view, the Barcelona star would be a superb fit: high energy, creative, pacey, agile, versatile and capable of slotting straight into De Zerbi’s first XI. He has also proven himself at the highest level, adding further value to his name. But the reality is Atletico and Villa are also interested, and they could tempt Torres by offering Champions League football.
Yet, having proven this summer that we can sign quality players without European football, our club chiefs can try the same by coming up with an ambitious project for Torres.