Barcelona’s exit-linked attacker reaffirms desire to stay: “My plan is to continue”

Even as he continues to be linked with a summer departure, FC Barcelona forward Ferran Torres has stated that he is very happy at the club and is not planning on leaving anytime soon.

Torres has been at the club for around 18 months now, having joined from Manchester City in January last year. However, the move has not worked out as expected for the club as the 23-year-old has been unable to make a major impact thus far.

Torres finished the 2022/23 campaign with just four goals from 33 La Liga appearances, which are hardly impressive numbers for a player on whom Barça spent €55 million amidst a financial crisis.

Now, given that the Catalan giants need to cut their operating costs as well as generate some revenue, player sales have become necessary. And Torres has been earmarked as one of the priority candidates for an exit in the summer.

There are suitors from the Premier League for the former Man City ace, with Newcastle United and more recently Aston Villa taking an interest. The latter are said to be willing to take him on loan for a season with a €25 million buy option.

However, Torres has come out and stated that he has no intentions of leaving Barcelona at this time as he is very happy at the club.

“I can’t wait to continue at Barcelona. I’m really happy at Barça and my plan is to continue at the club,” he told Jijantes FC.

When asked about any possible offers he had received, Torres replied: “I don’t know because I have my cell phone in airplane mode and I don’t get messages. On July 10th I join and my bet is Barça, Barça, and Barça.”

Furthermore, the Spanish attacker insisted that he wishes to prove that he is a very good player can make important contributions.

“I want to show that I am a very good player. I know I haven’t been able to prove it yet. Although when I arrived, I helped so that the team ended up qualifying for the Champions League. I had very good games,” he said.

This sort of reluctance from Torres as well as fellow forward Ansu Fati to leave the club in the summer is putting a huge roadblock in Barcelona’s transfer plans.

Until they make some sales, the Blaugrana are not in a position to spend on new signings, making things trickier for them to operate in the market.