«Barcelona» could be financially better off selling Ferran Torres to «PSG» for €50m rather than accepting a higher €55m fee, because of a clause included in his 2021 transfer from «Manchester City».
According to journalist Nil Sola, Barcelona would have to pay Manchester City an additional €10m if Torres were sold for €55m or more. However, the proposed transfer to PSG is understood to be worth €50m, meaning that condition would not be activated.
The unusual arrangement means Barcelona would retain more money from a lower transfer fee than it would from a deal worth at least €55m. The clause is understood to have formed part of the agreement when the Catalan club signed Torres from Manchester City in 2021.
Torres’ move to PSG has therefore taken on particular significance for Barcelona’s finances. Rather than simply maximising the headline value of the sale, the club must also consider the payment that could be owed to Manchester City if the agreed threshold is reached.
A €50m transfer would allow Barcelona to avoid the additional €10m payment. By contrast, a fee of €55m or more would bring the clause into force, substantially reducing the financial benefit of the sale for the La Liga club.
The report also states that Barcelona would have been required to pay Manchester City €7m if Torres extended his contract at the club. His current agreement is due to expire next summer.
That obligation may help explain why Barcelona has not been in a hurry to offer the world champion a new contract, despite the approaching end of his existing deal. The potential renewal payment adds another financial consideration to the club’s decision over Torres’ future.
Barcelona’s position is consequently shaped by two separate provisions linked to the player’s original transfer. A new contract would reportedly trigger a €7m payment to Manchester City, while a resale at €55m or above would lead to a further €10m being owed.
The proposed €50m move to PSG would avoid both the resale threshold and the additional payment connected with a contract extension, provided Torres does not sign a new deal before leaving.
For Barcelona, the figures make the PSG proposal more attractive than its value alone might suggest. Although €55m would appear to be the more lucrative transfer fee, the terms of the Manchester City agreement mean the club could effectively be better off accepting €50m.
The final outcome depends on the details of the transfer and whether the reported conditions are included in the completed agreement. But on the figures cited by Nil Sola, Barcelona’s preferred financial outcome is not necessarily the one with the highest initial fee.
