Liverpool are set to move for Valencia winger Ferran Torres but are set for a battle to secure his signature with both Real Madrid and Barcelona reportedly sniffing around. The 20-year-old reportedly has a release clause in his contract of £86.9m.
Torres playing style and season so far
This season, Torres has proven himself to be a vital member of the Valencia forward line and thus, will not come cheap. If Liverpool are to sign him, Torres will become their record signing – surpassing the £80m fee paid for Virgil Van Dijk.
While his output numbers aren’t exactly mind-bending, Torres’ general play in the build up to goals is so important to the way Valencia attack. Often drifting in off the wing, his movements allow the attacking full-backs to get forward.
Maybe he isn’t exactly best placed to play in an all-out natural wide role in the way Adama Traore does at Wolves.
Currently, he averages three dribbles per game and completes just half of those – so dribbling with the ball is something he isn’t scared to do, but it’s not an area in which he excels in the same way Traore and Allan Saint-Maximin do.
In fact, he’s far better of playing slightly more inside drifting between the lines and being a nuisance to the defenders. Think of the way Bernardo Silva is often utitlised by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City -that kind of role is where Torres can become a real thorn in the side of any opposition.
In terms of output, Torres has bagged five goals and six assists in his 34 appearances in all competitions this season. He’s is mainly used off the right wing with 27 of those appearances coming from that position, but he has played all across the forward line throughout the course of the season.
Torres contract and Liverpool move potential
When it comes to the deal itself, Torres is out of contract at the end of next season and Valencia are furiously trying to negotiate a new deal for him. One thing is for sure, they won’t sell for anything less than the £86.9m release clause.
From a Liverpool perspective, they already have Mo Salah in his position and have been linked with ground-breaking moves for the likes of Kylian Mbappe. Given that Torres is likely to spend most of his time on the bench at Liverpool, will they really be willing to dish out a club record fee for him?
Yes, with a player like him you’re paying for potential – but that is a lot of money for someone they aren’t going to play regularly. Liverpool tend to not be the types to throw silly money around – unless it’s for a superstar like Van Dijk or Alisson Becker. For that reason, I don’t see him ending up at Anfield.
For me, what’s far more likely is that Ferran Torres will end up at Real Madrid. It seems Gareth Bale’s time in Madrid is coming to an end and the Real hierarchy see Torres as the perfect replacement for the Welshman. They have the money to spend, and they aren’t scared to take a very expensive risk in the transfer market.
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