Ferran Torres' World Cup heroics can't mask Barcelona contract storm
Torres is still on holiday following the World Cup—where he scored the winning goal in Spain's 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final on July 19. With his contract set to expire in June next year, no agreement has been reached over an extension with the reigning La Liga champions.
Public comments raise eyebrows
"I have a contract at Barcelona, but in football you never know," the 26-year-old said on NBC when asked where he would be playing this season. "I am just waiting to make the right decision, but I don't know it yet."
More quotes from the forward emerged a few hours later, speaking to Sportico, where he also acknowledged reported interest from Paris Saint-Germain. "Every time these types of clubs want you it's a good thing," Torres said. "In football you never know what can happen, but the good thing is that, as I have a contract, I can wait and decide on my own. What do Barca need to do to keep me? They have to show me they want me, come to negotiate, and in the end it's all about talking."
As things stand, Torres is the only player in the senior squad with an established track record at center forward, after Robert Lewandowski was allowed to leave at the end of his contract in June to sign with MLS side Chicago Fire. As Torres noted on CNN: "All I know right now is that I have to return to harshly by August 12 to train, but in football everything can change in a minute and I have to be ready for anything."
Leverage and tension build
Torres' decision to go public in this way raised eyebrows at Barcelona. Barca's fanbase also seems unimpressed by him happily linking himself to other clubs, despite having failed to deliver on the expectations that surrounded his arrival from Manchester City in January 2022. He was signed for an initial €55 million plus a further €10m in add-ons.
As unexpected as Torres' words were, tension between club and player has been brewing for some time now. The Torres camp believes Barca have not shown faith in him, with constant rumours over whom to sign as a new striker and the public—and very public—pursuit of Julián Álvarez as their main target taking place while his contract runs down. Sources close to Torres stressed all scenarios are still open: from a departure this summer, to a contract extension, to remaining at the club without renewing.
Club's stance
Barcelona's view now is that Torres is not for sale unless he demands to leave. If that happens, they will be open to offers. Executives insist they have received no formal communication from Torres's camp since the World Cup.
The problem is that Barca believe Torres's contract is not easy to improve. "He is on the right salary scale within the dressing room, a new contract can't a lot higher than that," a senior club source put it. The Athletic also revealed last month that Barca would have to pay Manchester City between €7-8m if he were to extend, owing to a clause in his move. That could take his total transfer fee to around €73m.
"The reality is that, over the past a couple of seasons, the club has not seen reasons to believe Torres is the long-term starting striker Barca need," another senior Barca source added. Torres was inconsistent in front of goal last season, ending the campaign with 21 goals and three assists in 49 appearances, despite going 14 games without scoring between late January and mid-April.
Talks between Barca and the player's camp are expected in the coming weeks, but right now there's huge uncertainty around how it will all end. This is not the first time Torres has been in a contract squeeze—in 2020 he left boyhood club Valencia for Manchester City after complaining that club owners reneged on stalemate and spurred his departure. Now is a different moment, and Torres is a different player and person. But maximum pressure is building up for all sides, and a perfect contract—in Torres's words, a "perfect independent"—seems nowhere in sight.