Having reached an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain, the Spanish striker is edging closer to a move away from FC Barcelona. Whilst the Blaugranas are not closing the door, they are demanding a hefty sum to let their striker go.
The Ferran Torres saga has been gathering momentum over the past few hours at Paris Saint-Germain. The Spanish forward was in advanced talks with the Paris-based club, where Luis Enrique had made him one of his top priorities to bolster his attacking line-up following Gonçalo Ramos’s move to AC Milan and the expected departure of Randal Kolo Muani to Juventus. And on Saturday morning, it emerged that the European champions had reached an agreement with the Spanish international for him to join this summer.
Whilst Barça will not stand in the way of his departure, the Catalan club’s directors intend to defend their interests in the negotiations, according to Sport. In Catalonia, it is believed that Ferran Torres retains significant market value despite his playing time sometimes being limited. With a year remaining on his contract, Barça do not wish to risk seeing him leave on a free transfer in twelve months’ time. Initial discussions regarding a contract extension have been tentative and, should the player opt for PSG, the Blaugranas will allow him to leave provided that all parties benefit from the deal.
PSG are prepared to offer €45 million
The main sticking point now concerns the transfer fee. FC Barcelona are demanding 50 million euros to let their Spanish international go and have no intention of lowering their asking price. For its part, PSG are reportedly prepared to offer around €45 million, including bonuses, and will therefore need to make a further effort to convince the Catalan club’s management to let him go, although Barça will need to sell players to continue their transfer business following the arrivals of Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi.
Before any progress can be made between the two clubs, Ferran Torres must first officially inform Barça of his wish to leave. A sale would provide some financial breathing space for the Catalans, who then hope to step up their efforts on several fronts, notably the signing of Julián Álvarez, considered a priority to strengthen the attack, whilst remaining on the lookout for a potential opportunity to sign a second striker, given that Barça have also lost Robert Lewandowski and Ansu Fati this summer. Asslani (Hoffenheim) and Vlahovic are reportedly still being tracked.
2026 World Cup: Argentina growing impatient with Julián Álvarez
Expected to be one of Argentina’s key players, Julián Álvarez is having a lacklustre 2026 World Cup. Having failed to score, the Albiceleste striker has mainly been in the news for speculation about his future at Atlético Madrid.
Expected to be one of Argentina’s key attacking leaders following their World Cup triumph in 2022, Julián Álvarez is having a much tougher 2026 World Cup than anticipated. The Atlético Madrid striker, a guaranteed starter under Lionel Scaloni, is struggling to make an impact on matches and has yet to find the back of the net. This situation is all the more surprising given that the former Manchester City player went into the tournament as a key figure, both for his national side and at club level.
Julián Álvarez goalless since the start of the 2026 World Cup
But beyond his on-pitch performances, it was his comments about his future that have thrown his World Cup into disarray. In the midst of the tournament, Julián Álvarez publicly suggested that leaving Atlético Madrid “would be the best solution for all parties” in order to fulfil his dream of joining another club: FC Barcelona. Lionel Scaloni, for his part, quickly tried to calm things down by reminding everyone that all attention should remain focused on the World Cup. But on the pitch, the statistics do not favour the Argentine.
Still stuck on zero goals and zero assists, his performance is well below that of 2022. His pressing and off-the-ball work remain valuable to the team’s organisation, but he lacks a presence in the opposition’s box, creates few chances for himself and faces stiff competition from Lautaro Martínez, who was once again decisive against Egypt. An ankle injury sustained before the tournament, combined with the ongoing saga surrounding his future, could partly explain this dip in form.
Is a conflict with Atlético proving too difficult to manage?
In Argentina, the debate is gathering momentum. Media outlets such as Clarín point out that “he hasn’t managed to find his form, having created very few clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities”. La Nación questions his true physical and mental state in light of his comments about his future, whilst in Spain, the media continue to link his lacklustre performances to his simmering conflict with Atlético. Supporters, too, are divided: some believe the striker’s mind is elsewhere, whilst others point out that he continues to make a significant contribution behind the scenes for the good of the team.
Lionel Messi and Lionel Scaloni, for their part, have publicly maintained their faith in him despite his lack of goals since the start of the tournament. But all is not yet lost for Julián Álvarez. Argentina are still in the running to retain their World Cup title, and a few decisive performances against Switzerland this Sunday morning, or right through to the final, could turn things around. Meanwhile, speculation about his club future will continue to run rife until the transfer window closes, but the 26-year-old striker will need to prove that his mind is fully on the task at hand in the United States.
