RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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PARIS (AP) — Champions League titleholder Paris Saint-Germain bolstered its star-studded attack by signing World Cup hero Ferran Torres from Barcelona on a five-year contract Saturday.
PSG announced the signing in a statement without giving financial details. Sports Daily L'Equipe said the club was paying the Spanish champion 50 million euros ($58 million) for Torres. The French team said he will wear the No. 9 jersey.
The 26-year-old Torres scored Spain's winning goal during extra time of the World Cup final against a robust and physical Argentina side. Brought on as a second-half substitute, he pounced on a bouncing ball and drove a left-foot shot under the crossbar.
It was his only goal of the competition and he said it was “scored by 47 million people,” referring to Spain’s population.
The transfer to PSG is his second big move. Barcelona signed Torres from Manchester City during the January 2022 transfer window for a reported fee of 55 million euros. Before joining City in 2020, he played for Valencia.
More of a roaming forward than a prolific scorer he netted 65 goals in 207 games for Barcelona, including a career-high 21 in all competitions last season. But his contract was set to expire next year and Barcelona reportedly had to pay a fee to City if he was to extend it.
Torres had played briefly alongside PSG forward Ousmane Dembélé when the France star was at Barça.
The move reunites Torres with Spanish coach Luis Enrique, who gave the player his international debut in 2020 when he was in charge of Spain. Luis Enrique took over at PSG in 2023 and has led the team to back-to-back Champions League titles as well as the French league title in each of his three seasons in charge.
PSG boasts attacking options
Luis Enrique has multiple options in attack, with Ballon d'Or winner Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola — who has been linked with a summer move to Liverpool — Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and new signing Maghnes Akliouche .
Dembélé set up Doué for PSG's winner against Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday after Kvaratskhelia had given PSG the lead in a 2-1 victory.
It’s the first of a possible six trophies this season for PSG, which became the first team to win back-to-back Super Cup titles since Real Madrid (2016 and ’17).
PSG faces French Cup winner Lens on Sunday in the Trophée des Champions, which is a match between last season’s league and cup winners.
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