‘I want to follow his steps’: Ferran Torres says former United star Cristiano Ronaldo is his hero

Valencia winger Ferran Torres wants to follow in the footsteps of his hero Cristiano Ronaldo as he closes in on a move to the Premier League.

The 20-year-old is on the brink of signing for Manchester City for a fee of around £21millon plus bonuses.

City have identified Torres as a replacement for Leroy Sane and are understood to have agreed personal terms with the Spain Under 21 international over a five-year contract.

Ferran Torres, 20, says that he wants to follow in the footsteps of his hero Cristiano Ronaldo

City legend David Silva and Barcelona striker David Villa are among those Torres looks up to, but it is former Manchester United star Ronaldo he hopes to replicate on and off the pitch.

‘From an early age I had two main references, one when I was very small and he arrived at Valencia and that was David Villa. Villa and David Silva the duo that took Valencia to such great heights,’ Torres told BBC Sport.

‘But for me, Cristiano above all is a great reference not just because of the way he plays his football but also because of the way he carries himself away from football.

‘It is worthy of admiration and I would like to follow his steps.’

As it stands, Torres is in the final year of his contract at the Mestalla which has enabled City to sign one of Europe’s most promising young wingers for a relatively modest price.

Torres is inspired by the former Man United man due to his attitude on and off the pitch

It is believed that opportunity to work with Pep Guardiola at the Etihad was said to be one of the reasons behind his decision.

Torres is hoping to play on the flanks under Guardiola but accepts the possibility of playing inside in the later stages of his career.

He said: ‘Maybe my best position at the moment is on the flanks but with the passing years when I get a bit older and perhaps lose a bit of speed and the power that I am known for then maybe I will finish playing inside because I have played there in the past.

‘Something else they have instilled in me since I was small is that the more positions you can cover on the pitch then the more possibilities you have to play and the more you can contribute.

‘As a player I consider myself to be ambitious, someone that wants to win, win, win and of course it is true that as time passes and you feel you are better prepared then you want to take on greater challenges, experience a change of environment. I think I am ready to do so.’