Liverpool battle Aston Villa for £30m Barcelona forward Ferran Torres
Liverpool have joined Premier League rivals Aston Villa in the race to sign Barcelona forward Ferran Torres in a deal reportedly worth £30m.
New manager Andoni Iraola is looking to bolster his attacking options at Anfield ahead of the upcoming campaign.
The Spaniard took charge of the Merseyside club after replacing Arne Slot following a disappointing fourth-placed league finish.
A priority for the recruitment team has been identifying wide players following the departure of Mohamed Salah.
Uncertainty at Camp Nou
Torres faces severe competition for a starting place in Catalonia under new head coach Hansi Flick.
Barcelona recently secured the high-profile signings of Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United and Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund.
These arrivals have cast immediate doubt over the long-term future of the World Cup-winning attacker.
The former Manchester City winger recently scored the decisive goal in Spain’s 1-0 World Cup final victory over Argentina.
Widespread European interest
Reports in France suggest the Reds have now officially registered their interest in the 26-year-old.
Liverpool have expressed an interest in the player, forcing Paris St-Germain to reconsider their pursuit of a low-cost deal.
Loic Tanzi
Aston Villa remain strong contenders to secure his signature as Unai Emery promises a starring role at Villa Park.
Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid, Napoli and Juventus are also closely monitoring the situation.
The Catalan giants reportedly value the versatile forward at £30m as he enters the final year of his current contract.
A proven goalscorer
Despite often playing second fiddle to Robert Lewandowski, the Spanish international has remained highly effective.
He registered an impressive 21 goals in 49 appearances across all competitions last term.
His ability to operate both out wide and centrally would offer Iraola vital tactical flexibility.
While Liverpool continue to track Bradley Barcola as a direct successor to Salah, the acquisition of Torres would add crucial Premier League pedigree to their new-look squad.