According to a report in The Daily Mail, Barcelona could launch an ambitious summer campaign to bring Fernando Torres, a former Atletico Madrid forward, back to Spain. This has been echoed in Spain by Sport.

The Liverpool striker will be very much in the public eye in his homeland over the next few weeks. The striker is preparing for a friendly clash with England in Seville and also a Champions League knock-out tie against Real Madrid.

However, it was at the FIFA World Player of the Year dinner that Joan Laporta, the president of the Catalan giants, is alleged to have laid the groundwork for an end of season pursuit. Lionel Messi and Xavi are also said to have hobnobbed with the Euro 2008 winner.

Any deal is likely to be dependant on the future of Barca's current top scorer, Samuel Eto'o, which is looking decidedly unclear at present.

Eto'o Uncertainty

The Blaugrana are holding several rounds of meetings this month regarding their plans for next term and contract renewals have been on top of the agenda.

Along with ensuring that Victor Valdes, Rafael Marquez and Carles Puyol are tied down to long-term deals, sorting out Eto'o is becoming a matter of priority.

While the free-scoring striker has a contract until the summer of 2010, Barcelona are not prepared to let that run down and to see him leave on a free transfer. Etoo, however, does not appear to be in a rush to renew his deal.

"If Laporta and [technical secretary Txiki] Begiristain asked me to sit down and negotiate now, I would ask them not to distract me and that we can wait until the summer," Eto'o told La Vanguardia.

That will not have gone down well with either Begiristain or coach Josep Guardiola, both of whom are keen to have all their plans in place before the end of the current season.

Plans to cash in on Eto'o could be in place given his reluctance to talk, his expected wage demands and the fact that he could be away at the African Cup of Nations for six weeks of next season.

With that in mind, Sport believe that the names of David Villa and Karim Benzema have been superseded by an even more ambitious target: Torres is now the player that club want.

With the blessing of Guardiola and Laporta, Txiki Begiristain will now start to consider ways to force 'Pool into a sale.

It won't be easy, of course, but behind-the-scenes unrest at Anfield and a less-than-certain financial future could work in the favour of Barcelona.