Barcelona Director of Football Deco has confirmed their priorities for the summer transfer window, with two positions standing out ahead of the rest. The Blaugrana’s financial situation will again be an unknown until the window rolls around, with the Catalan side being forced to rely on board bank guarantees in order to register players.
For the most part, Barcelona have been linked with central defenders and forwards. Inigo Martinez was a surprise exit last summer, and Hansi Flick has been forced to improvise with Gerard Martin in defence at times. On the other hand, Robert Lewandowski’s future is up in the air, as his contract expires. Deco confirmed in an interview with Sport that that is where his thinking is.
“Yes, the general trend is along those lines, but sometimes things surprise you. The season… I always say that four months of football are like four years of life. It’s an eternity. Just a month ago we won the Super Cup and it already seems like we haven’t won anything. But hey, that’s football.”
🚨 Robert Lewandowski will decide his future after the Presidency elections. He has several options on the table, but prioritizes continuing at FC Barcelona even if it's on a reduced salary. Right now, the Pole seeks stability and family happiness over money. [@RogerTorello] 🇵🇱
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) February 12, 2026
Up front, Julian Alvarez has perhaps been the player most heavily linked with Barcelona in terms of strikers, but there are questions over whether they can afford him. Deco was asked what type of forward they are looking for.
“We shouldn’t get obsessed with any one striker because the team is doing well. We have Ferran and Rashford; we’ll see what we can do to make decisions. If we’re talking about the best striker, the best number 9 of the last ten years, it’s been Robert. There’s no one like him. It’s not easy to go to the market and look for someone like Robert because teams tend to go for other types of strikers.”
“Perhaps Bayern has a more traditional target man. They prefer a striker with more mobility. There’s no one with Robert’s quality and his stats. Barça needs to look for players with technical ability, the capacity to link up with teammates, and the ability to find solutions.”
Another forward whose future is attracting plenty of attention is that of Marcus Rashford. Barcelona have reportedly informed Manchester United they intend to sign him, and they have a €30m buy option in the deal, although they may try to negotiate the price. Hansi Flick has been quick to praise him all season, and Deco followed suit.
“Yes, definitely [we’re pleased with him]. I don’t think it’s easy to come here. He’s a footballer who has played at a very high level, with enormous demands at a club like Manchester United. Then he spent six months at Aston Villa, where he did a very good job. In fact, Aston Villa, if they could have, would have kept him; I know this because I’ve spoken to people there. But he only wanted to come to Barca, and that’s a very positive thing. We were able to secure a loan. The fact that he took a pay cut to make it happen is a clear demonstration that he really wanted to come, and we’re very happy about that. He’s a player who contributes a lot to the team.”
Their other option at number nine is Ferran Torres. There has been a suggestion that Barcelona could look to cash in on Torres, who is out of contract in 2027. Deco avoided committing to anything with regard to a fresh deal.
“Yes, Ferran is a player we’re counting on. He has a valid contract, and we have to take things one step at a time. We can’t explain everything because there’s a strategy behind it from the sporting management: in some cases, it’s for security reasons; in others, it’s for squad adjustments and balance; and in others, it’s due to contractual situations that don’t always allow for renewals when we’d like, especially when players come from other clubs. Every player has their own time and opportunity. Ferran is a player we value highly; he’s a player we want to keep, and we’re happy with what he brings to the team.”
“He’s not a player who’s undervalued contractually; on the contrary, he has a substantial contract with the club. There’s no injustice in that regard. But he’s also a player who needs support, he needs to feel the club’s backing, and we’re there for him. It’s just that the circumstances are different. There’s Fair Play to manage and a number of factors we have to address gradually. Certainly, if we saw something amiss in Ferran’s case, something we’d already discussed, we would address it. But I think that, given the time and the player’s desire to stay, there won’t be any problems.”
Barcelona will certainly have to consider handing him a new contract or selling him in the coming months. Torres has proven crucial under Hansi Flick, contributing numerous goals and coming in where necessary for Robert Lewandowski. Yet there remain doubts as to whether he can be their de facto starter long-term.
