Sandro Kebadze

A new chapter of the Georgian national team’s captain career will begin next season. 

The signing of the experienced forward is expected to be the first major step toward building a powerful Barcelona roster for the 2025–26 season, which the team’s president, Joan Laporta promised to fans after a failing campaign of the current Euroleague season. 

As a reminder, Barcelona ended the EuroLeague season with a loss in Game 5 of the playoff series against Monaco, struggling with injuries and newcomer’s bad conditions. 

According to the Spanish sources, Shengelia will be connected to Barcelona for two years, while the third year is MTC optional (mutual termination clause).

Also according to the Catalonian media, Tornike’s salary will be approximately 3 mln Euros, one of the biggest in the team and top 15 in the next Euroleague season. 

As expected, he will replace Chimezie Metu, currently in rehab following an Achilles Surgery and ruled out for the remainder of the season since March. The Nigerian power forward is strongly rumoured as Barcelona’s main rival, Real Madrid’s new addition for next season. 

What about the team's first option in Tornike’s position, Jabari Parker, his future remains uncertain, as the former draft second pick still dreams about NBA return, which he confirmed a few times. 

This season, Toko averaged 15.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 17.4 PIR per game in the EuroLeague with Virtus Bologna, where he has played for the past three seasons.

His contract with the Italian club expires in June, which will help Barcelona avoid additional payments for the Georgian basketball star, picking him up in a free agent’s status.

Before joining Virtus, Shengelia enjoyed a successful six-year journey with Baskonia (2014–2020, including being captain of the team for 4 seasons and Covid season Spain national championship title in Valencia’s Bubble) and later played for CSKA Moscow (2020–2022).

The former NBA player was an All-EuroLeague First Team selection in 2018.