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    Premier League clubs should be on red alert as Torres breaks from Yamal’s shadow

    Ferran Torres must be the only person in the world sick of watching Lamine Yamal.

    After having his Barcelona spot nicked by the wildly-talented 16-year-old, Torres finds himself behind Yamal in the pecking order for Spain, too.

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    Torres has become a forgotten man in recent monthsCredit: Getty

    It is one of the reasons why cash-strapped Barca might be tempted to cash in on the former Manchester City forward this summer.

    But as La Roja eased past Albania with their second-string team to complete the group stage with a perfect record, Torres reminded everybody that he is still very useful, too.

    The 24-year-old’s decisive goal in Dusseldorf was clinical: a perfectly-timed run, a perfectly-weighted pass from Dani Olmo, and a perfectly-placed finish.

    While the Albanians perhaps found their level after briefly rocking Italy and somehow getting a point from Croatia, Spain’s strength in depth at Euro 2024 was frightening to see.

    Torres faded from the game thereafter, and it was Yamal who replaced him on 72 minutes, much to the delight of the adoring Spanish faithful.

    That was the one time they could be heard over the deafening Albania support.

    The wonderkid made more impact in four minutes than Torres had in the 58 minutes since opening the scoring.

    But the match was decided by two moments of quality, first from Olmo, and then from Torres.

    Yamal continues to overshadow Torres for club and country

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    Yamal continues to overshadow Torres for club and countryCredit: AFP
    Spain have breezed into the last-16 with flying colours

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    Spain have breezed into the last-16 with flying colours

    Ironically, RB Leipzig star Olmo could also be on the move this summer, having hinted at a return to the Nou Camp earlier this month.

    Reports in Spain claim Torres wants to stay and fight for his place, but it is difficult to see how the Catalans improve a squad which finished ten points behind Real Madrid without selling valuable fringe players.

    Arsenal, Aston Villa and Chelsea were credited with an interest in Torres earlier this year, while more recently, Newcastle and West Ham have been linked with a possible swoop for the Spaniard.

    Both the Magpies and the Hammers are in the market for a striker – and Torres may have put himself in the shop window with his beautifully-taken goal on Monday night.

    New West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui is thought to be an admirer of Torres and West Ham are desperate for a forward who can contribute along with Jarrod Bowen.

    He will not come cheap: it is understood Barca are keen to recoup most of the £47m they paid Man City in 2021, some of which remains unpaid.

    And that seems steep for a player who currently finds himself stuck in a 16-year-old’s shadow.

    But perhaps the brilliance of Yamal, who technically broke German employment laws by working beyond 11pm local time in Dusseldorf, has made everyone forget that Torres has match-winning quality.

    The kind that will certainly put Premier League clubs on red alert this summer.

    talkSPORT will bring you live commentary of EVERY game at Euro 2024. Tune in via the website or the app, and follow our live Euro 2024 blog for all the latest news, views and reaction to the big moments.

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