Barcelona's pursuit of youth has taken another bitter turn, as 18-year-old midfielder Dro Fernández has rejected a contract offer from the club and is set to join Paris Saint-Germain for an estimated €8 million.
The situation unfolded after Dro's representatives appeared to agree on a new deal with Barcelona, which was supposed to be signed following his 18th birthday. However, Dro informed head coach Hansi Flick of his decision to leave, leaving the club feeling 'unpleasantly surprised' and frustrated.
When questioned about the player's departure during a press conference last week, Flick refused to comment on the matter until the deal was officially concluded. But after being informed of Dro's decision, he expressed frustration at the situation, stating that there are often external influences at play when it comes to young players making decisions.
Despite his relatively limited playing time at Barcelona, with just 148 minutes across five games, Dro had been promoted to the first team squad and handed his debut at 17. His future looks promising at PSG, where he will be hoping to get more opportunities under the guidance of a coach who has played him in a formation that suits him better.
Barcelona's club president Joan Laporta described the situation as 'unpleasant', adding that Dro's representatives had informed them that they couldn't fulfill the agreed-upon contract terms. The move is a significant loss for Barcelona, who had high hopes for the young midfielder's development at the club.
The situation unfolded after Dro's representatives appeared to agree on a new deal with Barcelona, which was supposed to be signed following his 18th birthday. However, Dro informed head coach Hansi Flick of his decision to leave, leaving the club feeling 'unpleasantly surprised' and frustrated.
When questioned about the player's departure during a press conference last week, Flick refused to comment on the matter until the deal was officially concluded. But after being informed of Dro's decision, he expressed frustration at the situation, stating that there are often external influences at play when it comes to young players making decisions.
Despite his relatively limited playing time at Barcelona, with just 148 minutes across five games, Dro had been promoted to the first team squad and handed his debut at 17. His future looks promising at PSG, where he will be hoping to get more opportunities under the guidance of a coach who has played him in a formation that suits him better.
Barcelona's club president Joan Laporta described the situation as 'unpleasant', adding that Dro's representatives had informed them that they couldn't fulfill the agreed-upon contract terms. The move is a significant loss for Barcelona, who had high hopes for the young midfielder's development at the club.