Ferran Torres spent four and a half years at Barcelona. When he sat down with reporters in Paris for the first time, the message was that this was never a rushed call.

Speaking at a PSG media day, the 26-year-old traced the transfer back to conversations that started before the World Cup and pointed straight at his former Spain manager as the reason he committed.

“The contacts with PSG began even before the World Cup. They called us and we talked. Then I had already made up my mind because I wanted to play for a club like PSG,” Torres said in comments reported by World Soccer Talk.

“It is a step forward in my career that I am super proud of because I am joining the European champion.”

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Luis Enrique the decisive factor

Torres named Luis Enrique as the trigger. The PSG head coach handed him his Spain debut in a 2020 Nations League tie against Germany, and their relationship has run through every stop of Torres’s career since.

“I have always said that Luis Enrique was like a father to me ever since I arrived at the Spanish National Team. He has always believed in me. He believed in me so that I would sign for PSG.”

The €50m move and a two-goal debut

Paris Saint-Germain confirmed the €50 million transfer on 15 August, with Torres signing a five-year contract through 2031. He left Camp Nou after 65 goals in 207 matches and three La Liga titles.

His start in Ligue 1 could hardly have been sharper. Introduced at half-time away to Rennes on 23 August with PSG two goals down, Torres struck in the 71st and 82nd minutes to salvage a 2-2 draw, both goals set up by his Spain teammate Fabián Ruiz.

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Barcelona reunion in the Champions League

The switch means Torres will meet his former club in the Champions League league phase. He is not hiding from what the fixture will feel like.

“The match against Barcelona will be special. They were my teammates for four and a half years. It’s going to be an exciting match for me and for the team. PSG-Barcelona matches are always special. We will try to win, but we’ll see.”

Torres also laid out PSG’s target for the season, from a starting position no other club in Europe holds.

“PSG is right now the best team in Europe. They’ve won the last two Champions Leagues. And that puts more pressure on our rivals. We have to improve. We’ll try to win the Champions League for the third consecutive year.”

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Torres arrived in Paris as a world champion. He came off the bench in the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on 19 July and scored the only goal in the 106th minute to beat Argentina 1-0.

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