Newcastle is anticipated to be active in the final weeks of the transfer window, with Barcelona’s Ferran Torres emerging as a target for the club. Eddie Howe is eager to sign a new winger due to the uncertainty surrounding Miguel Almiron, who is rumored to be moving to Saudi Arabia soon.
Almiron, 30, was pivotal in Newcastle’s impressive 2022/23 season, where they finished in fourth place, but has since seen his role diminish and scored only three league goals last season. Although he played in the Magpies’ pre-season match against Brest on Saturday, Howe appears to prefer Jacob Murphy as his primary winger.
Regarding Newcastle’s Premier League opener against Southampton, Howe mentioned: “I need to evaluate the players’ readiness; we must be fully prepared for Southampton and cannot afford to carry anyone. I need to analyze today’s game against Brest thoroughly. The team on Saturday didn’t perform at its best.”
Reports indicate that Newcastle is interested in adding a right-sided winger to compete with Murphy and Almiron, with Torres being a potential candidate. Recent reports from Spain suggest Newcastle recently made an offer for Torres, which Barcelona has declined.
Barcelona is seeking to offload players to support their own transfer activities, and Newcastle reportedly offered €15 million (about £12.8 million) for Torres. The former Manchester City player, who joined Barcelona for £46 million in January 2022, has made 115 appearances, scoring 25 goals and providing 13 assists.
With Lamine Yamal’s rise at Barcelona, Hansi Flick is said to be open to letting Torres go, with a fee of €30 million (£25.7 million) potentially securing his transfer. Newcastle may return with a better offer in the near future. They have also considered a move for Raphinha, though Torres remains a more affordable option. Having scored 16 goals in 43 matches for Manchester City and winning a Premier League title there, Torres is open to returning to England. It will be interesting to see how this situation develops.
