AAP Soccer

Barca register Torres after Umtiti deal

By AAP Newswire

Jan 11, 2022

Samuel Umtiti has taken a pay cut enabling Ferran Torres to be registered by Barcelona. -EPA

A fortnight after Ferran Torres signed for Barcelona the Catalan club have finally been allowed to register him after French defender Samuel Umtiti agreed a contract extension on lower wages.

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Spain international Torres joined Barcelona from Manchester City on a five-and-a-half-year contract, in a deal which is understood to be worth an initial £46.7m ($A88.3 m).

Torres, who has recovered from a broken metatarsal sustained while on international duty in October, had hoped to make his debut in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Real Madrid on January 12.

However, that could be delayed after the club announced he tested positive for Covid-19 along with team-mate Pedri shortly after being presented at the Nou Camp.

Barca have been beset by financial difficulties in recent months, but were able to fund the Torres deal after securing a bank loan.

On Monday, the LaLiga club announced that by coming to a new agreement with French defender Umtiti they had been able to officially complete Torres' registration. Previously there was no scope to add him to the wage bill and remain within fair play regulations.

Umtiti had 18 months left on his contract. This has now been extended by a year but on lower wages, the club revealed.

In addition Barcelona have loaned Philippe Coutinho to Aston Villa.