Barcelona Must Urgently Seal These Four Crucial Deals Following Ferran Torres' Exit

Barcelona have officially parted ways with Ferran Torres, a departure that could set off a chain reaction throughout Hansi Flick's roster.

Having netted the World Cup-winning goal for Spain, Torres sealed a transfer to reigning French and European champions Paris Saint-Germain in a deal valued at approximately $57.9 million (€50 million). The move came after the Catalan club failed to offer the forward a contract renewal despite their urgent need for attacking reinforcements.

The exit made waves during an otherwise subdued Barcelona summer transfer window. To date, the club has brought in only Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi, alongside youngsters Jesse Bisiwu and Hamza Abdelkarim. Departures before Torres's switch to PSG have also been limited and largely modest in terms of profit.

Time is rapidly running out ahead of the club's La Liga season opener against Elche next weekend, with the transfer deadline arriving just nine days after that. There are still several pieces of business Barcelona must complete before Deadline Day if they are serious about competing for the Champions League crown.

Sign Rodri

Above all else, Barcelona must bring Rodri to Catalonia. The club has already had two bids for the midfielder turned down by Manchester City, and reportedly lodged a third offer in the region of $81 million (£60 million) in an attempt to land him.

Rodri had initially been connected with a move to Real Madrid, but the 30-year-old shifted his preference to Barcelona, where he would line up alongside numerous fellow Spanish World Cup winners, including Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Dani Olmo, and Pau Cubarsí. The 2024 Ballon d'Or holder is believed to have already reached a personal agreement with the defending Spanish champions.

However, negotiations have dragged on longer than expected, forcing Rodri to return to Manchester and link up with City ahead of their Community Shield fixture against Arsenal on Sunday.

Barcelona still have numerous urgent matters demanding attention, making it all the more important to finalize Rodri's move to the Camp Nou as swiftly as possible.

Find a Lewandowski, Torres Replacement

What are those pressing concerns? Securing a striker. Barcelona bid farewell to Robert Lewandowski at the conclusion of the 2025–26 campaign, allowing the veteran Pole to depart on a free transfer and join MLS outfit Chicago Fire.

Torres had been expected to potentially inherit Lewandowski's starting role — he had already begun doing so last season — but he has now headed to Paris. Flick suddenly finds himself without a natural first-choice center forward, and the season kicks off next week.

The German manager has options to plug the gap up front, likely using either Gordon or Adeyemi as a makeshift striker. However, that is far from a sustainable solution for a club desperate to claim its first Champions League title in more than a decade.

Julián Alvarez remains the top target, but the Argentine is finding it virtually impossible to exit his six-year Atlético Madrid deal despite publicly expressing his desire to leave. Barcelona are undoubtedly holding on for the striker, but reality may soon force their hand.

Recent reports suggest the Catalans are weighing up Sporting CP's Luis Suárez as a possible alternative, while former Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku has also been mentioned. Neither option comes close to matching Alvarez's appeal, but Barcelona's choices are narrowing fast.

Sign Joao Cancelo

João Cancelo was one of the standout stories of the 2025–26 season for Barcelona. The Catalans brought in the former Manchester City full-back on loan in the January window, and he immediately elevated the team, pushing Alejandro Balde out of the left-back spot while also deputizing for Jules Koundé on the right.

It seemed a certainty that Barcelona would make Cancelo's move permanent this summer, fully extracting him from Al Hilal. Yet talks have stalled for some time, with the Saudi Pro League club reportedly raising their asking price to $17.4 million (€15 million) for the Portugal international.

The defending Spanish champions are reluctant to meet that valuation for the 32-year-old, prolonging the deadlock between the two clubs. Cancelo has since returned to Al Hilal, though he was notably absent from Simone Inzaghi's squad for their league opener — possibly hinting at an imminent departure.

Cash in on La Masia Graduates

For a club perpetually navigating financial difficulties, generating transfer income remains a constant priority for Barcelona. They already pocketed a significant fee for Torres — their biggest outgoing sale since Ousmane Dembélé moved to PSG before the 2023–24 season — and there may be further funds to be raised.

Marc Casadó appears set for a departure before the window shuts. The La Masia graduate has slipped down Flick's midfield hierarchy, and the anticipated arrival of Rodri would further diminish his prospects.

Al Hilal are believed to be frontrunners for Casadó's signature. The 22-year-old, who never fully reclaimed his position following a serious knee injury, did not travel with Barcelona to Italy or Switzerland for preseason matches, seemingly poised to embark on the next chapter of his career elsewhere.

Héctor Fort is also edging closer to the exit door. The right-back spent last season on loan at Elche and will again find no room in Flick's plans once Cancelo is expected to extend his time in Catalonia.

Fort has attracted interest from Everton and Borussia Dortmund, and it appears only a matter of time before a European club takes a chance on the promising 20-year-old.