Barcelona agree Hector Fort sale to Real Sociedad with buy-back and sell-on clauses

Barcelona have confirmed the departure of 20-year-old defender Hector Fort, who has joined Real Sociedad in a deal worth €8.5m for 50% of the player’s rights.

The Catalan club have also retained a buy-back option and a percentage of any future transfer involving the right-back, allowing them to benefit financially if he is sold on.

Barcelona can bring Fort back for €20m until 2028, with that figure increasing to €25m until 2029. The club will also keep a share of the value of any future sale.

Fort leaves Barcelona after 13 years with the club. He joined the academy at a young age and progressed through the youth system before spending last season on loan at Elche.

The defender made an impression on the right side of the pitch under coach Eder Sarabia, prompting Barcelona officials to consider whether he could return to the first-team squad.

His campaign with Elche was interrupted by a serious shoulder injury suffered shortly after he scored his first league goal for the club. Fort required surgery and spent a period on the sidelines, but returned to action during the final stages of the season.

Despite that recovery, Hansi Flick was unable to find a place for him in his squad after pre-season. Barcelona already have several options at right-back, including Eric Garcia, Jules Kounde and Xavi Espart, and the club ultimately agreed to allow Fort to leave on a permanent basis.

Real Sociedad faced competition from several clubs for the defender’s signature, including Borussia Dortmund. However, the German club did not agree to Barcelona’s asking price of €15m, allowing the Basque side to complete the move.

Fort travelled to San Sebastian on Saturday morning and watched his new team play Espanyol that evening. He is expected to compete with Aramburu and Alvaro Odriozola for the right-back position, although Odriozola is set to be unavailable for an extended period.

The transfer reflects a developing approach from Barcelona towards academy players who are not guaranteed a place in the first team. Rather than losing those players without a significant financial return, the club are seeking to generate income while retaining either a percentage of their rights or the option to buy them back.

Barcelona have used a similar structure in other deals and are expected to apply the same model to the anticipated departures of Jofre Torrents, Toni Fernandez and Gil Fernandez.

Fort’s move brings an end to a long association with Barcelona, but the buy-back terms mean the club have preserved a route to re-sign him should his development at Real Sociedad lead to a future return being considered.