FC Barcelona v Rayo Vallecano de Madrid - LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27
Deco sporting director at Barcelona during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between FC Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou on August 31, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Luis Mazariegos Luis Mazariegos has been a lead writer and editor for Barca Blaugranes since 2012, bringing tactical analysis, transfer reports, opinion columns, and investigative coverage to the SB Nation network. An award-winning journalist, he has held press credentials for Champions League and La Liga fixtures – reporting live from the stadium, press box, and press conferences. He frequently provides commentary as a guest on football podcasts and radio shows. In addition to his sports media work, Luis spent over a decade in broadcast television and currently serves as an editor for a major digital news network.
FC Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco, has publicly revealed the Catalans will have no last-minute signings. When asked whether Barcelona were working on any other signings after the arrival of Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal FC, the former Portugal midfielder was brief: “No.”
Rumors had linked Barcelona with signing a new defender, plus there was the extended search for Julián Alvarez or another striker. Those topics will not be addressed, it seems, in the coming hours until the transfer window shuts.
Among the rumored targets for signing a defender included: Alessandro Bastoni, Gonçalo Inácio, Aymeric Laporte, Castello Lukeba, and Ruud Nijstad,
Apart from Jesus, Barcelona signed Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Jesse Bisiwu, Rodri, João Cancelo and Dominik Livaković this window. Several players returned from loan, but they departed quickly as well.
Notable exits included Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford (end of loan), Marc-André ter Stegen, Ronald Araujo, and Ferran Torres. Interestingly, Cancelo both left and came back in the same window as his loan expired and he was with Al-Hilal for a time before Barça snapped him up.
Loan players who were given permanent exits included Iñaki Peña and Ansu Fati. And players such as Héctor Fort and Jofre Torrents were sold with buyback clauses, allowing Barcelona the opportunity to bring them back if they want.