Deco rules out further Barcelona signings as summer window closes without centre-back or striker

Barcelona will enter the final hours of the summer transfer window without signing a centre-back or striker, after sporting director Deco gave a blunt, one-word answer ruling out any further incoming business when asked directly whether the club were still pursuing deals.

The confirmation settles a question that had hung over Barcelona’s summer throughout the closing days of August. The club had been linked with several centre-back targets — among them Alessandro Bastoni, Gonçalo Inácio, Aymeric Laporte, Castello Lukeba and Ruud Nijstad — while a search for an additional forward, including reported interest in Julián Álvarez, had run in parallel. Neither situation will now be resolved before deadline, according to Deco’s comments.

Gabriel Jesus, who arrived from Arsenal, was the last of a busy summer’s worth of signings at Camp Nou. Barcelona also brought in Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Jesse Bisiwu, Rodri, João Cancelo and Dominik Livaković, with the registration status of Rodri and Adeyemi having been a live issue earlier in the window.

The outgoing side of the ledger was equally active. Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford — at the end of his loan — Marc-André ter Stegen, Ronald Araujo and Ferran Torres all departed, while Iñaki Peña and Ansu Fati were given permanent exits after previous loan spells. Héctor Fort and Jofre Torrents left with buyback clauses attached, preserving Barcelona’s option to bring either player back in future windows.

Cancelo’s situation was the summer’s most unusual thread. The Portuguese full-back both left and returned within the same window, his loan expiring before a stint with Al-Hilal preceded his return to the club.

With Deco’s position now clear, whether a centre-back or striker is revisited when the next transfer market opens remains an open question — but the sporting director has drawn a firm line under this summer’s business.