The World Cup enters its final week with two mouth-watering semi-finals: Argentina versus England and France against Spain. Joan Laporta was never going to miss the drama, and the FC Barcelona president has touched down in Dallas for the clash between Les Bleus and 'La Roja'. Speaking shortly after his arrival in the United States, the executive threw his weight behind the Spanish national team while providing updates on several high-profile names.

"Now is the time to show our support. We have a significant contingent in the Spain squad who will be desperate to reach the final. I feel for Jules Kounde, who is representing France, but we are well-represented elsewhere. Lamine is enjoying a sensational tournament and has already picked up two 'Man of the Match' awards. It is not just him, though; Pedri, Olmo, and Cubarsi are all excelling," the president remarked, before being quizzed on the pursuit of Julian Alvarez.

"We won't be dancing to anyone else's tune; we set the tempo here," Laporta insisted regarding the Argentine forward. "We have tabled an offer, but it isn't open-ended. We shall see how long it remains on the table. We have moved for the player at the request of our coach and technical staff. We admire him greatly and believe he is a top-tier talent. The offer we've made is of significant value," he commented.

Discussing 'The Spider', Laporta revealed he had been in dialogue with Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin: "We maintain a very positive relationship. There was some initial confusion surrounding our proposal, which I have since clarified. We aren't applying undue pressure. I simply stated that once they have an alternative in place, our offer remains on the table. There has been no further movement for now."

The Barcelona president also moved swiftly to quash speculation regarding Raphinha, confirming the Brazilian is going nowhere: "He is staying. We have zero interest in him leaving Barcelona; he is a cornerstone of this team. While the potential arrivals of Gordon and Adeyemi will bolster our attack, that doesn't mean we'll part with Raphinha. He is vital to our plans. It was a real blow that he wasn't at 100% for the business end of La Liga, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey last season. Had he been fit, I'm sure the results would have been different."

When asked about Ferran Torres and reported interest from PSG, Laporta was characteristically blunt: "I've heard the whispers, but there is nothing concrete. He is a Barcelona player and he's performing brilliantly. Every time he steps onto the pitch, he looks dangerous—just look at that superb assist for Mikel Merino. Ultimately, we have world-class talent on display at this tournament, and that is exactly why I'm here," he asserted.

One of the fresh faces at the Nou Camp will be Karim-David Adeyemi, who was absent from B. Dortmund medical testing on Sunday with the club's blessing. The president confirmed the deal was done: "We are thrilled to have Adeyemi. He’s a player we’ve admired for a long time—frighteningly quick and a constant threat. Deco handled the negotiations masterfully, and the news was released at the perfect moment."

Finally, Laporta brushed off concerns regarding Pedri starting on the bench for Spain, describing it as "workload management." "In my eyes, he is an undisputed starter, and it shows every time he's on the pitch. He has been excellent in every game he's played. It's simply a case of the national team having a wealth of options who also deserve minutes. But make no mistake, Pedri's talent is extraordinary," he concluded.

28 Dec2021	Manchester City	FC Barcelona	€55M
04 Aug2020	Valencia	Manchester City	€33M
01 Jan2018	Valencia Mestalla	Valencia	Free transfer
01 Jul2017	Valencia U19	Valencia Mestalla	Free transfer
01 Jul2016	Valencia U19 B	Valencia U19	Free transfer
01 Jul2015	Valencia Academy	Valencia U19 B	Free transfer

Ferran Torres

Transfer History