Barça president Laporta gives update on Dembele & Ferran Torres

Barça president Laporta gives update on Dembele & Ferran Torres

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Torres is a January target, while Dembele is out of contract in the summer

Joan Laporta spoke Ousmane Dembele's contract situation and Barcelona's interest in Ferran Torres in his interview with TV3 on Friday.

Asked about Manchester City forward Torres, Laporta was cautious but said: "Signing him? It's one name like many others. We're in permanent contact with the sporting directorate, who are working on various names to be ready to satisfy the needs of the coach."

On Dembele, who is out of contract at the end of the season, Laporta said money is not the most important thing and that the forward is better than Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe.

"The renewal going slower than we would like but we're working on it," he said. "I can't say much more right now. He is an important player for us, someone who can give us much more than he has given. He can be a key player if he stays.

"I know he wants to stay because we have a good relationship with him. But we have to negotiate. The agents want the best for the player and we have to show them that the best isn't just (related) to money. For me, Dembele is better than Mbappe and I would really like him to stay."

Remember that Barça have opened negotiations with City over Torres. There's still no financial agreement between the two clubs as they seek the middle ground.

As for Dembele, he's not accepted any of Barça's offers to renew to date and has bigger offers on the table from elsewhere and time on his side.

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