Arsenal have moved to the front of the queue to sign Barcelona winger Ferran Torres, according to Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo.
The Premier League champions had been heavily linked with Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, but that pursuit appears to be cooling significantly.
Estadio Deportivo report that Vinicius is more likely to sign a new long-term contract at Real Madrid, prompting Arsenal to shift their focus elsewhere.
Torres has emerged as the primary target in “recent hours,” with Arsenal now considered the leading club in the race to secure his signature.
Barcelona are asking for between £39 million and £43 million for the 26-year-old, who has one year remaining on his current contract at Camp Nou.
The Catalan club have struggled to persuade Torres to sign an extension, and they are expected to sell him if they cannot change his position soon.
Adding further complication for Barcelona, The Athletic have revealed the club would be required to pay an additional £6.8 million to Manchester City if Torres signs a fresh deal.
That financial obligation makes Barcelona even more eager to sell, potentially handing Arsenal a straightforward path to signing the Spanish international.
Torres delivered an impressive campaign for Barcelona last season, scoring 21 goals and providing 3 assists while primarily playing as a centre-forward.
He also made his mark on the international stage, scoring in the second half of extra-time in the World Cup final against Argentina to help Spain lift the trophy.
Arsenal have already recruited Christos Tzolis as a forward option this summer, though the Greek attacker is not considered an assured starter in Mikel Arteta’s plans.
Torres would offer genuine competition and quality in that department, having played almost 100 times across his career on the left wing.
The Spaniard was originally on Arsenal’s radar during his time at Manchester City before he moved back to Spain with Barcelona, so interest in him is nothing new at the Emirates.
With the Vinicius deal looking increasingly unlikely, Torres represents a realistic and proven alternative as Arsenal look to build on their Premier League title success.