Ferran Torres Skips Training Again Amid PSG Move
Ferran Torres was missing from FC Barcelona training for the second morning in a row, and this time the silence around his absence speaks loudly. With the club’s blessing, the 26-year-old forward is no longer under Hansi Flick’s orders as he puts the final touches on a move to PSG.
Barcelona have kept in place the permission granted to Torres, who was originally scheduled to rejoin full training on Wednesday. That return never came. Instead, negotiations with the French and European champions have accelerated, with both clubs now locked in the final stretch of talks.
Deal almost done
Multiple well-sourced reports in Spain and France align on one point: Ferran to PSG is virtually there.
The two clubs are ironing out the last details of a package expected to reach around €55 million, including add-ons. On the player’s side, everything is already lined up. Torres has an agreement in place with PSG, where Luis Enrique has already drawn up a plan for his role and integration in a squad still reshaping itself after another title-winning campaign.
With that roadmap clear, Torres has stayed away from the training pitch for a second straight day, effectively in limbo while Barcelona and PSG close the final gaps in the deal.
World Cup winners filter back in
While one Spain international edges towards the exit, others are stepping back into the fold.
Of the four World Cup players who returned on Wednesday and were initially handled with individual workloads, three took a step forward on Thursday. Pau Cubarsi, Dani Olmo and Lamine Yamal all joined the main group at the start of the morning session, easing into Flick’s pre-season rhythm.
Pedri was the exception. The midfielder continued working in the gym and did not appear on the pitch, as the club manage his return more cautiously.
Futures on hold for six youngsters
Away from the headline act of Torres and the returning stars, another subplot runs through this pre-season: the bottleneck of young players waiting for clarity.
Marc Casado, Hector Fort, Jofre Torrents, Tommy Marques, Guille Fernandez and Toni Fernandez all continue to train separately from the main group. Their situations remain unresolved as Barcelona push to trim the squad and find exits for those who do not figure in Flick’s plans.
For all six, each passing session without integration into the main group underlines the same reality: decisions are coming, and they are unlikely to be made at the Ciutat Esportiva.
Flick’s chosen prospects stay in the frame
Not every academy product is on the outside looking in.
A smaller group of reserve-team players remains under Flick’s direct command for now. Aron Yaakobishvili is among them, even as he edges closer to a move to Almeria. Alongside him are Alvaro Cortes, Xavi Espart, Jordi Pesquer, Ebrima Tunkara, Orian Goren, Brian Farinas and forward Hamza Abdelkarim.
They continue to train with the first team as Barcelona enter the decisive phase of their pre-season squad planning. With Ferran Torres on the brink of departure and several youngsters awaiting their fate, Flick’s first Barcelona squad is being shaped in real time — and the next few days will tell who truly belongs in his new era.
