Arteta eyes stunning Arsenal raid for former Man City ace as Aston Villa use new connection to join race

Former Manchester City forward Ferran Torres could return to the Premier League with either Arsenal or Aston Villa, according to a report highlighting why Barcelona might sell him.

Torres left Man City to sign for Barcelona in the January 2022 transfer window. It brought an end to an 18-month stay in the Premier League after his arrival from Valencia. His gametime has improved since his return to La Liga.

Yet we may not have seen the last of Torres in the Premier League. According to talkSPORT, he has become a target for Arsenal and Aston Villa.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Torres both share past stints with Manchester City, although their paths there never crossed. Still, Arteta appears to have got his current club in contention to sign the Spain international.

Currently competing with Man City for the Premier League title, Arsenal will have Champions League football on offer next season. In preparation, they are ready to spend a significant amount in the summer transfer window.

Thursday’s Transfer Gossip named their spectacular six-man shortlist, but Torres now seems to be an additional target to consider.

However, the report from talkSPORT indicates that Arsenal will face competition from their former manager Unai Emery for Torres.

Indeed, Emery’s current club – Aston Villa – are ready to appoint Mateu Alemany to their staff after his departure from his role as Barcelona’s director of football.

Alemany could look to bring Torres with him to Villa Park, where Emery has overseen major progress to put the club in contention to qualify for Europe next season.

Ferran Torres becoming Barcelona casualty

And if either Arsenal or Aston Villa make a bid for Torres, Barcelona might not stand in his way. After all, they are currently doing everything possible to try and get Lionel Messi to return this summer.

Messi will be leaving Paris Saint-Germain after a two-year spell in France. The dream for all parties would be to reunite at Barcelona, but La Liga’s leaders will have to clear space on the wage bill to make it happen.

Therefore, Torres could become a casualty, despite being under contract until 2027. At the age of 23, he could be one of Barcelona’s most marketable assets. That said, the report does not mention how much it might cost Arsenal or Aston Villa to sign him.

Torres has scored seven goals from 41 appearances in all competitions this season. His overall record since joining Barcelona consists of 14 goals from 67 games.

Previously, he made 43 appearances for Man City, scoring 16 times – and before that he got nine goals from 97 games in Valencia colours.

Able to play anywhere across the attack, he could be an exciting reinforcement for either Arsenal or Aston Villa. Only time will tell what the next step is for him.

READ MORE: Arsenal eye electric Leeds star with Chelsea and three Euro giants confirmed as transfer threats