Football Focus: City sign Valencia winger Torres

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

Manchester City have signed Spanish winger Ferran Torres from Valencia with the 20-year-old putting pen to paper on a five-year deal, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday.

Financial details were not disclosed but British media reported the transfer fee was 23 million euros (20.73 million pounds).

Torres scored six goals and had eight assists for Valencia in all competitions last season as they came ninth in La Liga.

"I am so happy to be joining City. Every player wants to be involved in attacking teams and Manchester City are one of the most attacking in world football," Torres told the club website here

“Pep (Guardiola) encourages a really open, aggressive style, which I love, and he is a manager with a proven track record of improving players. To have him overseeing my development is a dream.”

Torres joins City as a replacement for Germany winger Leroy Sane who moved to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich last month for 45 million euros plus add-ons.

“He’s young and still developing, but his technical qualities are exactly what we are looking for in a winger,” City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain said of Torres.

“He’s quick, direct, can create space with one movement and is capable of producing match-winning moments.”

City have also been linked with a 41 million pounds ($53.56 million) move for Bournemouth central defender Nathan Ake as Guardiola looks to close the gap on Premier League champions Liverpool next season.

Second-placed City finished 18 points adrift of the Anfield side but won the League Cup and are still in the Champions League, where they lead Real Madrid 2-1 ahead of their last-16 second-leg home match on Friday.

Spurs agree deal with Saints to sign Hojbjerg, sell Walker-Peters

Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal in principle with Southampton to sign Denmark midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with full back Kyle Walker-Peters going the other way, British media reported on Tuesday.

Hojbjerg is set to move for a fee in the region of 15 million pounds ($19.60 million) while right back Walker-Peters, who joined Southampton on loan in January, will make a permanent switch for 12 million pounds, according to Sky Sports.

Hojbjerg, who moved to the Premier League from Bayern Munich in 2016, was stripped of the Saints captaincy in June when the 23-year-old made his intention to leave the south-coast club clear to manager Ralph Hasenhuettl.

Walker-Peters, who is also 23 and moved to Saints for more first team action, has played 10 times in the Premier League under Hasenhuettl since his loan move earlier this year.

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho had said last month there was a place at the north London club for Walker-Peters to return but would not stand in the defender’s way if he wanted to leave in search of more playing time elsewhere.

The new Premier League season begins on Sept. 12.