Manchester City could replace Barcelona target Ferran Torres with RB Leipzig and Spain star Dani Olmo, who was previously a target for the Catalans himself.

Barcelona are keen to equip new coach Xavi with fresh attacking weapons in January and the club’s rumoured interest in Torres has accelerated in recent days.

Barça director Mateu Alemany was reported last week to have travelled to Manchester to engage in early talks over a possible deal for Torres. The player’s representatives were rumoured to have thrashed out an agreement over personal terms during a trip to Barcelona the week before.

In recent years, City have been open to do business if a player wants to leave and, crucially, there is an acceptable offer on the table. In that respect, it has since been suggested they would let Torres go for €70m (£59m) – trebling their original investment from 2020.

However, Barcelona’s financial strife has complicated things as the Catalans cannot currently afford a straight cash offer, with City not interested in contemplating an initial loan deal.

If Barça do manage to raise the funds for a Torres approach, it would leave City with a hole in their squad and with an opportunity to pursue Olmo, who impressed for Spain at Euro 2020.

Olmo has been target for Barcelona this season, but El Nacional writes that the player’s camp is disappointed with La Blaugrana and head coach Xavi, who now favours Torres instead.

Pep Guardiola is said to be aware of the situation and is now considering Olmo as a replacement for Torres if the 21-year-old were to leave Manchester. The City boss wants to keep Torres but would apparently be happy to take Olmo instead – he is slightly older and more experienced.

Olmo has also been linked with Bayern Munich and Manchester United. But while his ‘big dream’ has been to join Barcelona, having grown up in Catalonia and spent seven years at La Masia in his youth, it would equally be an ‘honour’ to play under Guardiola.

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