Ferran Torres does not seem like the most obvious option to fill one of Newcastle United’s primary transfer needs this summer…but he could easily be turned into exactly what they need.
As our own chief United writer Lee Ryder has reported, younger cover for Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak would be desirable for Newcastle as they look to build a squad capable of handling the extra rigours of Champions League football on top of their domestic commitments.
Barcelona’s Ferran Torres is one attacking option who has been linked, and while he does not exactly fit the bill of being an out-and-out centre-forward, he would make an excellent and versatile option in the forward line.
At this stage in their growth, it is unrealistic to expect Newcastle United to sign a 25-goal-a-season striker to be their number three choice – and Torres ticks all the other boxes Newcastle are looking for, especially if he has any lingering feeling that he has a point to prove in England having played just a season and a half for City before being sold to Barcelona.
Read more: Newcastle owner's four words should still give hope and transfer surprise may be on the cards
City director of football Txiki Begiristain had told the club’s website when Torres arrived at the Etihad Stadium in 2020: “We have followed Ferran’s progress closely and have been very impressed. He is young and still developing, but his technical qualities are exactly what we are looking for in a winger.
“He is quick, direct, can create space with one movement and is capable of producing match-winning moments. I feel this is the perfect place for him to develop and with Pep in charge he can take his game to the next level.”
At 23, Torres all of that still applies – including the comment that he is still developing. Torres still has time to become a different kind of player, and Newcastle fans will have painful memories of just what a good finisher Torres can be on his day: his hat-trick meant that City emerged the 4-3 victors in an absolute classic at St James’ Park in May 2021.
Torres’ goalscoring record looks fairly unremarkable on the face of it if we are looking for centre-forward cover for United, but dig deeper, and you wonder if all Torres needs is a chance to play up top more often, just like Thierry Henry got after he moved from Juventus to Arsenal. That worked out well for them.
Transfermarkt’s reporting of players’ positions on a game-by-game basis can be a little unreliable, but even if we just consider it a rough guide, it speaks volumes: they credit Torres with 29 goals in 10,616 minutes as a winger (one every 366 minutes, or just less than once every four games), but 11 goals in 1,987 minutes as a centre-forward – roughly one every other game, twice as potent as from out wide.
Newcastle arguably have enough players on the books with centre-forward as a secondary position. The difference is it’s possible that Torres is not just good enough to fill in right now: he could actually be developed into an extremely potent full-time striker who could become first choice in years to come. And if not…well, United would still have a damn good winger on their hands.
