Barcelona kicked off their preseason with a relatively positive fixture against Vissel Kobe, securing a 3-1 win. Most of the headlines surrounded the positive contributions of the new arrivals at Barcelona, but there was a negative to come out of the match for one player in particular.
Young right-back Hector Fort was the only senior outfield player who was fit that did not feature in Japan, remaining on the bench. Eric Garcia replaced first choice right-back Jules Kounde, and it was seen as a message to the 19-year-old. After feeling the ire of Hansi Flick last season, Fort also arrived late to medical tests on the first day of preseason, a point of indiscipline that generally is punished with a place on the bench by the German manager.
Barcelona open to sale for Fort
According to multiple sources, an exit for the young full-back is now being considered. Diario AS reported initially that a loan move would be considered for Fort, while Sport have now added that Barcelona are looking for an exit, and would prefer a sale. Director of Football Deco has returned from Japan to work on transfer exits, and Fort and Jan Virgili could be the next.If there is an exit, it seems likely to come in a similar form to that of Pablo Torre, with Barcelona retaining a sell-on fee percentage, and perhaps even a buyback option.
Ig story Iñigo Martínez. pic.twitter.com/xsjfevsqOK
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) July 28, 2025
Fort and Flick’s tricky relationship
Fort barely featured last season, despite being the only specialist right-back behind Jules Kounde. Eric Garcia was preferred to Fort during big games, and after the youngster expressed his frustration at his lack of opportunities in April, Flick publicly chastised the defender. The logical conclusion is that Flick does not have the same faith in Fort that his predecessor Xavi Hernandez did.
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