Ferran Torres skips Barcelona training for PSG move

Ferran Torres, the man who struck Spain’s World Cup-winning goal this summer, is closing in on a move to Paris St-Germain after being granted permission to miss Barcelona training.

The 26-year-old forward was due back with the Catalan club on Wednesday but did not report as negotiations with PSG reached an advanced stage. The French champions are expected to pay in excess of £40m for the Spain international, who has just one year left on his Barcelona deal.

World Cup hero on the move

Torres’ stock has never been higher. His extra-time winner against Argentina delivered Spain a second World Cup and pushed him firmly into the spotlight of Europe’s elite clubs.

That attention has not gone unnoticed in Paris. PSG, preparing to face Aston Villa in the Super Cup final in Salzburg on Wednesday night, have moved decisively as they reshape their attack. The looming possibility of Bradley Barcola leaving, with Liverpool interested in the forward, has only sharpened their focus on Torres.

Barcelona’s dilemma

At Barcelona, the situation has been simmering. With his contract running down and no agreement in place, the club faced a familiar choice: cash in now or risk losing a major asset for nothing next summer.

Some supporters have bristled at how openly Torres has spoken about his future. On a media tour in the United States after Spain’s World Cup triumph, he did little to cool the speculation.

“I have a contract with Barcelona but, in football, you never know,” he said when asked about his situation.

Pressed directly on PSG’s interest, he replied: “Every time these teams want you it's a good thing. You never know because in football everything can change in one minute, so I have to be ready for everything.”

Those words sounded like a player already braced for a new chapter.

Enrique reunion on the cards

PSG’s pull is obvious. They have lifted the Champions League in each of the past two seasons and are coached by Luis Enrique, the former Barcelona boss and ex-Blaugrana player who knows the club and its demands inside out.

For Torres, the move would mean stepping into a side built to win immediately, under a manager with a clear idea of how to use him. For Enrique, it would bring in a forward he has trusted on the international stage and watched closely throughout his time in Spain.

From Manchester to Barcelona to Paris

Torres joined Barcelona in 2022 after two years at Manchester City, arriving as part of the club’s attempt to refresh their forward line. His time at Camp Nou has had flashes of quality but never quite settled into something permanent.

With Spain, though, his numbers tell a different story: 25 goals in 65 appearances underline why PSG are ready to invest heavily.

Now, with training ground gates closed to him in Barcelona and talks accelerating in Paris, the World Cup match-winner stands on the brink of another major move. The only question left is how quickly the deal is done—and how Barcelona choose to fill the space he leaves behind.