Barcelona president Joan Laporta issues major transfer update after Joan Garcia, Marcus Rashford arrivals

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has suggested that the club's transfer business this summer in terms of incomings is complete, having signed a goalkeeper and a wide forward.

The Catalan outfit kicked off their summer spending by signing Joan Garcia from Espanyol, and the Spaniard is set to start the 2025-26 campaign as the number one, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen due to undergo a back operation next week.

Barcelona had been heavily linked with Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams, but the Spain international instead signed a new contract at San Mames, which saw Hansi Flick's side look at alternative options.

Following months of speculation, a deal for Manchester United's Marcus Rashford was completed earlier this week; the Englishman has moved to Camp Nou on an initial loan deal, with the club having the chance to sign him on a permanent basis during next summer's transfer window.

Barcelona president Laporta has hinted that the club's summer business is now complete, having also brought in 19-year-old Roony Bardghji from Copenhagen.

Laporta suggests Barca's summer business is now complete

"Yes, those were the two positions we wanted to strengthen. Roony Bardghji has also joined, a player in whom the football department has high hopes, but basically, yes, the planned additions were a goalkeeper and a forward," Laporta told Mundo Deportivo.

“Signing Joan Garcia was an excellent vision by Deco and his entire team, because what we had feared with Marc-Andre [Ter Stegen] has unfortunately happened – he is still not fully recovered.

“We are monitoring his progress and waiting to see whether he will need surgery or opt for a more conservative recovery. We will support him fully. But it created a complicated situation in goal, and we felt we needed someone like Joan Garcia.

“It was a good deal on all fronts. Finding a goalkeeper of his quality on the open market would have been difficult and more costly. The opportunity came up, Deco had been monitoring him, and Joan Garcia was already one of our targets.

"It is true we signed a goalkeeper of great quality, and only one can play. That is the coach’s decision. Marc-Andre is important, he is a captain and has brought us much joy, but after his knee injury, the lumbar issue worsened.

“It is his decision whether to have surgery, but this did create a situation where the coaching staff felt the position needed reinforcing.”

When will Barcelona begin their pre-season?

Barcelona will kick off their preparations for the 2025-26 campaign with a friendly against FC Seoul on July 31, before tackling Daegu on August 4, with those two fixtures going ahead as planned.

There had been some doubt over the two games after the team's friendly with Vissel Kobe, which had been set for July 27, was cancelled due to a “serious breach of contract”.

"FC Barcelona announces that it has been obliged to suspend its participation in the game scheduled for next Sunday in Japan due to serious contractual breaches on behalf of the promotor," read a statement from the club.

"Nevertheless, the club will consider readjusting the leg of the summer tour in South Korea, where two games are scheduled against FC Seoul (31 July) and Daegu FC (4 August), if certain conditions are met by the promotor.

"If these conditions are met, then the club will travel to South Korea in the coming days. FC Barcelona regrets this incident and the impact it will have on the many, many Barca fans in Japan."

Barcelona's 2025-26 La Liga campaign will begin against Mallorca on August 16.