Barcelona sign Ferran Torres
Manchester City and Spain winger Ferran Torres became the first move of the January transfer window as he completed the switch from Manchester to Barcelona earlier this week.
? @ferrantorres20 calling … #BenvingutFerran pic.twitter.com/78DP3qjB8i
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 28, 2021
The 21 year old joined the Catalan giants in a deal worth up to £54.7m, and signed a contract with them until 2027.
Ferran Torres is ours until 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣7️⃣!
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 28, 2021
But, the deal could have had significant and perhaps unforeseen repurcussions.
Dembele set to depart for free
Now, thanks in part to the arrival of Torres, the renewal talks between Barcelona and winger Ousmane Dembele appear to have broken down.
Dembele is due to be out of contract in the summer, but there was thought to have been optimism that an agreement over his renewal could have been reached. However, as per Fabrizio Romano, this could no longer be the case.
Ousmane Dembélé. The situation is in real danger as @gerardromero reported. More ⤵️
Meeting between Dembélé agent and Barça today.
Barça told they’re NOT able to give him the salary he wants.
Game over? Ousmane’s open to talk ONLY at his conditions. It’s now very complicated. pic.twitter.com/PML1VeAx99
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 29, 2021
According to the transfer expert, a meeting took place today where Barcelona told Dembele that they would not pay the wages that he wanted, paving the way for his summer departure, as the Frenchman is reportedly unwilling to negotiate on anything other than the terms he demanded.
This will put Liverpool, among others, on red alert for the soon to be free agent, and negotiations can even begin in January for a summer move.
Ousmane Dembélé has been approached by two Premier League clubs to sign as free agent, offering big salary. ❗️ #FCB
His plan was to stay, but he won’t sign a new deal if Barça don’t offer him salary he wants – situation now ‘really complicated’.
? More: https://t.co/SXxC83RpdL
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 29, 2021
There is also a second, as yet unnamed, Premier League club in for the Frenchman.
Could Jurgen Klopp and co. see Dembele as the solution to their issues with squad depth in the forward lines, and could they even make a January move for him?