‘Barcelona are back’
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has claimed that his team “are back” after the €55m signing of forward Ferran Torres from Manchester City.
“Everyone can get ready because Barca are back; the arrival of Ferran shows that,” claimed Laporta at Torres’ unveiling. “We’re a reference. Barca’s resurgence is a reality.”
While Laporta remains typically bullish, the Catalan club are still over €1 billion in debt, with a heavily restricted salary cap.
The move for Torres was facilitated by a €600m loan from Goldman Sachs, who will also help fund redevelopment of the Nou Camp. Yet the 21-year-old Spain international could not be registered immediately after his signing, with the club still exceeding their allocated budget.