Instead of acquiring a new striker to fill the void left by Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona could be close to losing fellow center forward Ferran Torres, with a potential move to Paris Saint-Germain reportedly heating up.
Initial links between Torres and PSG started during the 2026 World Cup, and now talks between the Parisians and Barcelona are expected to take place during the first week of August, per Marca. Multiple reports coming from Spain suggest that Torres is attracted by the idea of joining the Champions League holders, and an agreement on personal terms shouldn’t be a major hurdle.
There’s been no progress in renewal talks between Torres and Barcelona, even after the attacker scored the goal that won Spain the 2026 World Cup. Barça want to wait until September to resume negotiations over Torres’s new contract, per Mundo Deportivo. As a result, Torres reportedly feels like he’s not “a priority” and would be open to continuing his career in Paris.
Torres would join PSG as Gonçalo Ramos’s replacement after the Portugal international left for AC Milan earlier in the summer. Furthermore, after seemingly losing out to Real Madrid in the Yan Diomande sweepstakes, Luis Enrique’s side have placed Torres atop their shortlist of potential attacking reinforcements.
Barcelona Can’t Afford to Lose Ferran Torres
Barcelona aren’t actively trying to offload Torres; to the contrary, Hansi Flick spoke glowingly about the 26-year-old attacker and didn’t hide his desire for him to continue at the club.
“I had contact [with Torres] during the World Cup,” Flick said after Barcelona’s preseason defeat to. Birmingham City. “But now they have holidays and I respect this. And of course he’s a player from us and he’s shown in many games last season how important he can be for us and this is what we want.
Only Lamine Yamal’s 24 goals across all competitions last season were more than tha 21 Torres bagged. He scored 16 in La Liga, the same amount as Yamal as the joint-most of any Spanish player in the competition. Furthermore, his 49 appearances for Barcelona in 2025–26 were only bested by Eric García and Gerard Martín.
Torres has played almost exclusively as a striker ever since Flick’s arrival in 2024. A season ago, he snatched the starting role away from Lewandowski during crucial points of the term, and upon the Pole’s departure, Torres was expected to continue being a key contributor come 2026–27.
He might not be the most productive or lethal striker, but Torres is a very capable attacker that can contribute in many ways. From his movement, energy, link-up and his sporadic purple patches.
As things stand right now in the aftermath of Lewandowski’s departure, Torres has never been more important for Barcelona. If the World Cup hero leaves the club for PSG, Flick’s side could be in a world of trouble.
Barcelona Flirting With Worst-Case Scenario at Striker
Signing a world class striker was Barcelona’s main priority entering the summer transfer window. So far, they haven’t completed their mission, and fulfilling their priority looks less and less likely with every passing day.
A dream move for Julián Alvarez is completely stuck given Atlético Madrid’s emphatic refusal to even contemplate negotiating the Argentine’s sale to a direct rival. Currently Barcelona appear closer to getting fined for their pursuit of Alvarez than actually completing the transfer.
But Alvarez’s move was being worked on long before Torres leaving the club was even a possibility. If Barcelona lose both Torres and Lewandowski, then the only natural center forward at Flick’s disposal currently would be 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim. As promising as the young Egyptian has looked in preseason, he remains a raw prospect yet to even make his official senior Barça debut.
Barcelona would have less than a month to not only find a suitable replacement for Lewandowski but also for Torres. A situation reminiscent of when Iñigo Martínez left the club out of nowhere during the early days of August last year, and Barcelona’s inability to find a replacement for the veteran center back ended up costing them in their latest unsuccessful attempt to win the Champions League.
The fact that Barcelona already spent well north of $100 million this summer to sign wingers Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi isn’t necessarily a great look when the striker position hasn’t been properly addressed. Yes, both Adeyemi and Gordon are versatile and can play center forward, but neither is a classic No. 9, they’re both more comfortable on the wings, where Barcelona already has Raphinha and Yamal.
If both Torres and Lewandowski leave and Barcelona fail to sign an established center forward, then the most likely alternatives to lead the line next season are Gordon, Adeyemi, Raphina, Dani Olmo or Fermín López—none of them are natural strikers.
PSG’s move for Torres remains in its infancy, and there’s still a good chance that he stays put in Catalonia. However, when the summer started, Alvarez and Torres being Barcelona’s top striker alternatives in 2026–27 seemed like a very real possibility. Now, there’s a chance Barça will be without both of them when the new campaign starts.
If that scenario comes true, then it would be a major indictment on Barcelona’s poor handling of the summer transfer window, and it could tremendously compromise their ability to truly challenge for the Champions League—the team’s known priority piece of silverware entering the season.
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