Hansi Flick has had a significant impact since his arrival at Barça, making the most of the available resources and providing opportunities for the young talents at La Masia. His focus on developing academy players has been particularly notable, given that the club has been limited in its transfers due to the economic situation.
However, despite his efforts, Flick's main objective remains to strengthen the midfield, where he believes a quality transfer is necessary. And to achieve this he has set his sights on Real Sociedad, a team to which he plans to present an interesting swap deal.
Barça have been trying to fulfill Flick's wish for some time now
For several seasons, FC Barcelona has been looking for a pivot who can bring solidity and creativity to the midfield. Initially, Joshua Kimmich was the favorite to occupy that position, but in recent months, Zubimendi , a midfielder from Real Sociedad, has strongly entered the list of candidates.
Zubimendi's ability to play in midfield, combining defensive and distribution skills, makes him an ideal option for the style of play that Flick is looking for. However, his transfer will not be easy for several reasons, as his price tag is 60 million and the competition is fierce. However, Flick has an ace up his sleeve that he plans to use to get Zubimendi to wear the Barça jersey.
Flick agrees to swap deal with Real Sociedad: farewell Barça, hello Zubimendi
In order to facilitate Zubimendi's arrival, Flick has forced a swap deal with Real Sociedad. In this deal, Barça would offer Hector Fort, a young talent who has struggled to find minutes under Flick.
The idea is for Hector Fort to join Real Sociedad in January, which would open the door for Zubimendi to land at the renovated Camp Nou. Flick is willing to accept the deal, seeing Zubimendi as a key reinforcement for his project, but he didn't count on the response from his full-back.
And to everyone's surprise, Hector Fort has rejected Real Sociedad's offer. The youth-team player, despite the lack of opportunities, has decided that his desire is to stay at FC Barcelona and show Flick that he deserves a place in the squad. This decision could put a stop to the transfer of Zubimendi, as Barça needs to free up space in the squad to carry out the operation.
Such a scenario puts Flick at a crossroads as he must decide how to handle the Hector Fort situation and whether to press ahead with the attempt to sign Zubimendi. Hector Fort's refusal to leave the club demonstrates his ambition and determination to succeed at Barça, but it also leaves Flick without his greatest wish.