Torres - Pep saw something we didn’t

RIO Ferdinand believes City boss Pep Guardiola saw something that everyone else didn’t when signing Ferran Torres over the summer.

City completed the signing of Torres from Valencia in the summer transfer window for around £20m – and the Spanish youngster has hit the ground running at the Etihad Stadium.

The 20-year-old, right, has scored six goals in all competitions under Guardiola and has already played in numerous positions in the attacking trio.

The Spain forward found the net in City’s comfortable 3-0 victory over Marseille in the Champions League – handing the hosts the lead at the empty Etihad.

Torres – who was brought in as a natural winger - was playing in a central position for City, with Mahrez and Phil Foden either side of the Spaniard.

Ferdinand has heaped the praise on the youngster, as well as Guardiola for his ‘genius’ when it came to bringing him to City. “We were talking about Torres in the game, his movement is very, very much like a natural number nine,” the United legend said on BT Sport.

“He was probably brought into play out wide, but he’s almost been bedded into this position by Pep the genius, who knew something we didn’t.

“But his movement to the front-post, across defenders to shift them, he’s been fantastic.”

Despite Torres’ strong beginning to life at City, the forward has only started five games in the Premier League - with the majority of his goals coming in the Champions League.