Atletico Madrid appear as surpise contenders for exit-linked Barcelona forward | OneFootball

Talks of Ferran Torres’ departure from Barcelona have appeared out of the blue, but going by the speed at which developments are arriving, the ‘Shark’ could well leave this summer.

Paris Saint-Germain have been most closely linked with the player as Luis Enrique is a big fan of the forward’s versatility.

Given that he has just one year left on his contract at Barcelona, the reigning UCL champions hope to sign Torres on a discounted fee – something the Catalans are currently resisting with all their might.

A second interested club

As confirmed by Matteo Moretto on MARCA in an update earlier today, the future of Torres is indeed in the air with several options now arriving at his doorstep.

Luis Enrique is a big fan of Torres. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

PSG are indeed the biggest sharks in the race, but Atletico Madrid have now arrived as a surprise entrant in the race. Needless to say, this arrives as an unexpected update.

Given the bad blood between Barcelona and Los Rojiblancos in recent times, it is surprising that Mateu Alemany and Co. have arrived on the scene. They do, however, rate the player highly and are exploring possibilities to land him.

Could he be a bargaining chip?

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have been at public war over the transfer of Julian Alvarez in recent months with the Madrid-based side fighting with all their might to ensure the player does not join the Catalans specifically.

Torres can bring Alvarez closer to Barcelona. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

News of their interest in Torres, needless to say, will alert the Barcelona offices as it remains a remote possibility that the winger can be squeezed into the Alvarez deal.

It is impossible that Barcelona do not consider Torres a bargaining chip in the Alvarez deal at this point, although the journalist does add that the development has not officially taken place yet.

The two clubs are expected to meet to discuss Alvarez’s situation soon, and Torres could be an interesting addition to the negotiation table to meet Atletico Madrid’s demands.

At this point, it cannot be ruled out that the Spanish international stays at Barcelona, but all signs point to a departure in the summer. PSG are the more tempting option for him on a personal level, but Atletico Madrid appear the better option for Barcelona.