Barcelona President Laporta Expresses Disappointment Over Dro’s Imminent PSG Transfer
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has expressed displeasure over teenage midfielder Dro Fernandez’s decision to leave the club for a planned move to Paris Saint-Germain, describing the development as an “unpleasant” situation for the Catalan side.
Fernandez, 18, is set to join French champions PSG after opting not to continue with Barcelona despite what the club says was a prior agreement on a new contract once he reached adulthood. Spanish media reports indicate that PSG will pay Barcelona slightly more than the player’s €6 million release clause, with the additional amount described as a goodwill gesture.
“We will speak when it’s all done. It has been an unpleasant situation,” Laporta said in remarks aired by Catalunya Radio late on Sunday. “It came as a surprise because we had agreed on a different solution for when he turned 18.”
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According to Laporta, the situation changed abruptly following discussions with the player’s representatives. “Surprisingly, his representative told us he couldn’t follow through on what we’d agreed to,” the Barcelona president added.
Laporta suggested that the club was able to improve the financial terms of the exit beyond the original clause, indicating that Barcelona could receive as much as €8.5 million from PSG rather than the amount stipulated in Fernandez’s contract. He did not provide further details on the negotiations or the structure of the payment.
Fernandez, a central midfielder from Galicia in Spain’s northwest, joined Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy in 2022, a youth system widely regarded as one of the most influential in world football. Since his arrival, he has progressed rapidly through the ranks, making eight senior appearances for the club.
His departure has also drawn comment from the club’s technical bench. Earlier in January, Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick publicly expressed disappointment over the player’s impending move. Flick, who handed Fernandez his senior debut in September 2025, used the moment to emphasise what he described as the values and expectations attached to representing Barcelona.
“What I want to say to the young players from La Masia is we are Barca and one of the best teams in the world,” Flick said at the time. He highlighted the opportunities offered by the club, including training and competing alongside elite players, as well as the institutional support provided to young talents.
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“If you want to play for Barca, then (do it) 100 per cent with your whole heart,” the German coach said. “These colours, you have to live for them.”
Fernandez’s planned move to PSG comes amid continued competition among Europe’s top clubs for emerging talent, particularly players developed within elite academies. While Barcelona have long relied on La Masia graduates to sustain their sporting identity, recent years have seen increasing financial and contractual pressures shape player retention and exits.
The transfer is expected to be completed once final formalities are concluded.
AFP