Analysis: Amid claims of €30m bid from Tottenham Hotspur, what should Barcelona do with Pablo Torre?
Barcelona has an abundance of talent emerging from La Masia. This season alone has seen the emergence of Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Fermin Lopez, Hector Fort and Marc Guiu, and the next player to be promoted from the youth categories is Mikayil Faye, who has been on the margins of the first team in recent weeks.
In the case of Fermin, he has been a valuable addition to Xavi Hernandez's team, and has added another different profile to Barcelona's midfield. Since he is only 20 years old, the expectation is that he can stay in the first team for many years to come.
This could be bad news for Pablo Torre, who occupied a similar position to Fermin in Barcelona's first team last season, although he didn't play anywhere near as often. Last summer, he was sent on loan to Girona, where he also struggled for every regular minute.
Torre is already facing a crossroads in his Barcelona career, although he is only 21. He has lost all prominence to the Catalan giants, to the point that a summer sale seems somewhat likely. It could be necessary given the financial problems of the club, and second TransfersPremier League giants Tottenham Hotspur have tabled a €30 million bid.
If Barcelona receive an offer in that region, there is no doubt that they will try to sell Torre. His progression since his departure from Racing Santander in 2022 has not gone as hoped, and with his value still relatively high, it makes sense to arrange a permanent transfer – although it would be prudent to include a clause of recovery.
For Torre, it could also be convenient to leave Barcelona, where there is less pressure on him. One thing for sure is that he cannot stay there next season, and it is almost certain that another move will be on the cards, although the question will be whether it is another loan, or a sale. He needs to start playing regular football, which is something that hasn't happened since he went to Catalonia.
It will be very interesting to see in what way Barcelona decides to go with Torre. They are under significant financial pressure to sell players, so a permanent departure is a real possibility, although they want to control their future in some way. The main thing for everyone involved is that Torre starts to play football regularly, so he can start to fulfill his potential.