Ferran Torres says he is excited to start a “new adventure” at ambitious club Paris Saint-Germain after completing his move from Barcelona during the summer transfer window.
The Spain forward joins the French club for €50m, making the deal the fifth-highest transfer in Barcelona’s history. Torres is expected to begin his time in Paris at the Parc des Princes, where he will work under manager Luis Enrique.
Speaking to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Torres thanked the people who made the move possible and said he was determined to help Paris Saint-Germain compete for major honours.
“I am very happy to start a new adventure with an ambitious club like Paris Saint-Germain,” he said.
“I want to thank president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Luis Campos and coach Luis Enrique for giving me the opportunity to join this team. I hope I can help us win as many titles as possible.”
Torres said the transition from Spain’s World Cup triumph to preparations for the new season had happened with little time to reflect.
“It is true that since we won the World Cup, everything has moved very quickly,” he added. “We have barely had any holidays to take it all in.
“But in football, everything happens at maximum speed and we already have to focus on the new season. I am joining an ambitious team and I have to live up to expectations, help my team-mates as much as possible and also try to bring a lot of joy to these wonderful fans.”
The move gives Torres the chance to work with Luis Enrique again after previously training under him with the Spain national team.
Asked about the manager’s influence, Torres described Luis Enrique as being “like a father in the football world”. He also said he hoped to repay the coach’s faith through his goals and performances.
“When I had the opportunity to train with him in the national team, he always placed a great deal of trust in me,” said Torres.
“Today, having the chance to train under him again fills me with excitement and makes me very enthusiastic about taking on this project.
“I think he is a coach who knows very well how to guide a player, understand him and trust him, even when the player does not completely believe in himself. He knows how to motivate you to give your best.
“That is a very positive thing and, above all, he knows how to bring out all your potential.”
Torres ended by setting out his ambitions for his first season with Paris Saint-Germain.
“I want to return to winning every possible title, make the people of Paris happy, score plenty of goals, provide many assists and, above all, continue this winning run,” he said.
