(Reuters) – Barcelona have agreed a deal to sign Spanish forward Ferran Torres from Premier League champions Manchester City for a fee of around 55 million euros ($62 million), multiple British media outlets reported.
Both Sky Sports and the BBC reported Barca would pay City a further 10 million euros in add-ons for the 21-year-old Spanish international.
The deal comes despite severe financial difficulties at the club.
They had to let club great Lionel Messi leave in the summer due to “financial and structural obstacles” and have debts of more than 1.35 billion euros.
Their attacking options were weakened further with the retirement of striker Sergio Aguero last week due to a heart condition.
City signed Torres in August last year on a five-year deal for a reported fee of 23 million euros, but the former Valencia forward made only 43 appearances, scoring 16 times.
Torres, who has played 22 times for Spain scoring 12 goals, has been out of action since sustaining a minor fracture on his right foot during the UEFA Nations League campaign.
Barcelona are seventh in LaLiga after a poor start to the season which resulted in the sacking of coach Ronald Koeman, with club great Xavi Hernandez taking over.
($1 = 0.8818 euros)
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
