Arsenal have made a bid worth €30million (£25.5million) for Barcelona winger Ferran Torres ‘at the request of Mikel Arteta’, according to reports.

Torres joined the La Liga giants from Manchester City in January 2022 for €55m (£47m).

Arsenal ‘offer’ for Ferran Torres ‘at the request of Mikel Arteta’

The 24-year-old scored a lot of important goals for the Cityzens but has failed to live up to expectations in Catalonia, scoring 25 times in 107 appearances.

He is one of many signings Barcelona have managed to pull off despite being up to their eyeballs in debt.

The summer following the arrival of Torres, the Catalan club spent big on Jules Kounde, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski, while acquiring several free agents.

They have enjoyed utilising the free agent market amidst their financial troubles and signed Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City last summer.

During these years in the red, many Barcelona players have been linked with an exit to help balance the books.

Raphinha is another who comes to mind and given the fact Arsenal and Chelsea tried to sign him before he moved to the Nou Camp, the Londoners are always linked with the ex-Leeds United favourite.

Spanish journalists love throwing Premier League clubs in the frame for Barcelona players and we must admit that we are suckers for it every single time.

The latest story comes from Nacional, who claim that Arsenal have made a ‘first attempt’ to sign Torres from Barcelona.

Indeed, the Gunners have made an ‘offer’ worth €20m + €10m in variables but Barca president Joan Laporta wants €50m (£42.6m) in total.

It is believed that Arsenal are willing to ‘negotiate’ the signing ‘at the request of’ manager Arteta.

Arsenal are not alone in holding an interest in Torres, with Tottenham and Aston Villa among the ‘great admirers’ of the ex-City forward.

Arteta’s side are believed to be ‘betting the most on Ferran’ with the Spanish manager ‘very positive about the versatility of the Spanish international, who can occupy any position in the attack, and believes that he would be an excellent reinforcement, and at an affordable cost’.

Arsenal’s ‘first attempt’ to sign Torres has unfortunately failed as Laporta and sporting director Deco are ‘not convinced’ as the player is ‘valued at £42.6m’.

The Premier League club are now ‘obliged to improve their latest proposal considerably’ if they want to fulfil Arteta’s ‘request’.