Barcelona no longer see Spanish international as a winger, consider him a No. 9 | OneFootball

Barcelona’s dream of signing Nico Williams came to a shocking end earlier this week when the player silently signed a renewal with Athletic Club and shut down all chances of a departure.

The Catalans, however, are hell-bent on finding a new target who ticks the same boxes, and the likes of Luis Diaz and Marcus Rashford are being considered.

While Raphinha did have a great season in the position, Hansi Flick’s idea is to move him into a more central role for the next campaign.

Ferran Torres who served as a valuable backup, moreover, fits into different plans for the coach as relayed by Mundo Deportivo.

A change in position

As relayed by the Spanish outlet, Barcelona no longer consider Ferran Torres a winger. The manager sees the player as a striker for next season and will thus count on him in the No. 9 position.

Ferran Torres seen as a No. 9 by Barcelona (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Robert Lewandowski is indeed still a daunting force in the final third and will serve as Barcelona’s first-choice starter in the position.

The Pole, however, is ageing and is unlikely to play as many minutes as he has in recent seasons.

Torres, thus, fits into the manager’s plans as an ideal player to cover the striker position when Lewandowski is rested. After all, his numbers last season prove that he has a lethal finishing touch.

In 27 league appearances for the Blaugrana last season, the 25-year-old scored ten goals and provided six assists despite averaging under 41 minutes per game. He also had three goals and an assist to his name in the UEFA Champions League.

With Torres shifting to the centre-forward role as well, there is a clear need for a new right-winger at the club. With both Diaz and Rashford closely linked, it remains to be seen who the club can accommodate financially.