“I’ll be staying at Barcelona next season" - Barca star shuts down rumors linking him with summer exit amid PL links
Barcelona attacker Ferran Torres has insisted that he would remain at the club next season. This comes after rumors that the player was linked with a move away in the summer.
Speaking to Spanish outlet RAC1, he said:
“I’ll be staying at Barcelona next season.
“It’s not that I just want to remain here, but rather that I’m going to stay."
This comes after the Barcelona attacker was linked with a move to Newcastle United, as claimed by Fabrizio Romano.
The 24-year-old joined La Blaugrana in a deal worth €65 million in the summer of 2022 after a stint with Manchester City, having come up through Valencia's youth system. However, he has struggled to make an impact in his two seasons at the club. This year, he was mostly used off the bench. 22 of his 42 appearances came off the bench and he bagged 11 goals and four assists in this season.
Amidst their financial struggles, Barcelona could look to move off the attacker. With the emergence of Lamine Yamal and attacking options including Raphinha and Gavi, he could emerge as an option to alleviate their stress.
Who is Marc Guiu? Meet the Barcelona starlet who has agreed a deal to join Chelsea
Barcelona have reportedly reached an agreement in principle with Chelsea for striker Marc Guiu. According to The Athletic, the 18-year-old will move to Stamford Bridge after the Blues triggered a €6 million clause in his deal. He is expected to sign a contract until June 2030 with the London side.
The teen has been a part of La Blaugrana's La Masia academy since he was seven years old, joining in 2013. He has alternated between the senior squad and Barcelona Atletic, the side's youth team that play in the third tier of Spanish football.
Guiu made headlines back in October when he scored just 23 seconds into his debut. In a game locked at 0-0 against Athletic Bilbao with Xavi missing Robert Lewandowski due to injury, he came off the bench to bag the winner. The effort made him the youngest-ever player to score on debut for the side (17 years and 291 days). In all, he made seven appearances for Barcelona last season, scoring once in La Liga and once in the Champions League.
Guiu will join a talented list of attackers at Chelsea, including the likes of Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku. With Armando Broja and Romelu Lukaku set to depart, Guiu could compete with David Datro Fofana and Deivid Washington to seize the backup striker spot behind Nicolas Jackson.