TBR Football can exclusively reveal that both Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta hugely admire Ferran Torres, who has just two years left on his contract at Barcelona.
Aston Villa have liked Barcelona striker Torres for ages and the European Championship winner has spent much of the season as a brilliant understudy to Robert Lewandowski for Hansi Flick’s side.
In July 2023, it was revealed that Aston Villa feel Torres fits their system and since then, Unai Emery has shown that Villa Park is an attractive destination for players to advance their careers.
However, signing a striker is on Arsenal’s agenda as well and the Spaniard has experience of playing Premier League football, having spent one and a half seasons at Manchester City.
While Ferran Torres did not have the best time at City, he has proven his quality as a quality forward since moving to Barcelona.
Unai Emery eyeing Mikel Arteta target Ferran Torres at Aston Villa
TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graeme Bailey has now provided an insight into Torres’ possible view about his future under Hansi Flick as both Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta are huge fans of the player.
Considering the £46.7 million (Sky Sports) man has started just 19 games in all competitions this season, how he could feel about a return to the Premier League has come to light.
Graeme Bailey revealed: “Firstly with Ferran Torres’ situation — Mikel Arteta loves Torres from his time at City and he knows how City highly rated him. Arteta knows what Torres could bring to Arsenal but he’s not the only manager who likes him.”
| FERRAN TORRES STATS AT MAN CITY | |
| APPEARANCES | 43 |
| GOALS | 16 |
| ASSISTS | 4 |
“Villa like Torres and so does Unai Emery.”
However, Bailey claimed that it is unlikely that Torres leaves Barcelona this summer: “But my information is that Torres still has no intention of leaving Barcelona. Hansi Flick has used him quite a bit this season but even when he hasn’t been playing in the past, he didn’t want to leave Barcelona.”
“Now he’s 25-years-old, he’s still getting in the Spain team and he’s played over 25 La Liga games this season, half from the bench, half starting.”
“Villa do like him — there’s no denying that. So if he was on the market a handful of Premier League clubs want him but from my information that he has no intention of leaving Barcelona.”
Who Aston Villa could now sign as Torres move looks unlikely
But the good news for the Villans is that Aston Villa are set to sign Marco Asensio permanently after he has turned heads during his loan spell from Paris Saint-Germain.
Aston Villa are eyeing Noni Madueke and are reported to be the frontrunners in the race to sign the Chelsea winger, ahead of both Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
With Sverre Nypan being potentially Aston Villa-bound as well, it seems like sporting director Monchi has already laid the groundwork to sign multifaceted attackers like Torres behind the scenes.
