Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has invested so much time in Pedro 'Dro' Fernndez that he could barely believe it when the 18-year-old midfielder told him he was leaving the club.
Flick had taken Dro on Barcelona's preseason tour last summer, handed him his LaLiga debut in September, and a first UEFA Champions League start in October. However, after experiencing that taste of football at the top level, Dro was left wanting more. And with minutes in the first team hard to come by, the teenager made the surprise decision to seek regular football elsewhere, sending shockwaves through the club.
This week, Dro's transfer to Paris Saint-Germain was confirmed, with sources telling ESPN that the French club even paid slightly more than his 6 million release clause to sign him. That clause meant Bara could do nothing to prevent the move, which hurt even more given the involvement of club's former player and coach Luis Enrique, who is now PSG manager.
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Dro's unexpected departure angered Flick, club sources told ESPN. When the news broke the German coach initially said he did not want to speak about the issue until the transfer was "done." However, throughout that same news conference, he referenced the influence of others around the player, the confidence he had shown in him and a desire to only work with those who want to be at the club.
"If you want to play with Bara, it has to be 100% with your whole heart," he said. "All the others, I don't want."
Flick, usually placid in public, was speaking while the news was still raw; Dro had only communicated to him that week that he would leave. Club sources told ESPN that Flick asked him to think it over. But the next day, Dro reiterated the same stance, explaining the decision was purely based on football reasons, not financial ones.
Flick ordered him to leave the first-team dressing room; between then and sealing his move to PSG, he trained alone. In parallel, Dro's agent -- former Bara midfielder Ivan de la Pea, who is also Luis Enrique's agent and close friend -- communicated the decision to sporting director Deco, who was equally surprised.
Bara had planned to give Dro a new contract. They were waiting for him to turn 18, which he did so after the Spanish Supercopa final win over Real Madrid earlier in January. On the flight back from Saudi Arabia, the club shared a video of teammate Raphinha giving him a cake as the squad sung "Happy Birthday." That was the last time he was seen in Bara colors.
Sources close to the negotiations said new contract talks never really got off the ground, adding that Bara should carry some blame there because they could have acted quicker, knowing how attainable the 6 million clause was for Europe's biggest teams. Bara president Joan Laporta rejected that, claiming Sunday that a renewal agreement had been close. Bara president Joan Laporta rejected that, claiming on Sunday that a renewal agreement had been close.
Dro leaves after making five appearances for Bara, although he had not featured since coming off the bench against Atltico Madrid on Dec. 2. Sources close to the player explained he felt his pathway to regular football at Bara was clogged.
Flick plays a system with two deep-lying central midfielders and a No. 10, which did not suit his best qualities. The same sources said Dro is most comfortable as one of two advanced midfielders in front of a holding midfielder. Even as a No. 10 in Flick's formation, minutes were not forthcoming, with Fermn Lpez, Dani Olmo and Raphinha among those used ahead of him. Dro was also used out wide, but sources said that 149 minutes of football -- and just 88 touches of the ball -- did not represent a blind belief in him from the coaching staff.
Sources close to the player told ESPN that, over the course of several conversations with Luis Enrique, Dro was convinced PSG would suit him better at this stage of his career. The reigning European champions weren't the only club after him: Manchester City, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich had all shown an interest previously. When news leaked that he was leaving, sources said various teams phoned De la Pea to check the situation; clubs that had previously considered a deal impossible were reawakened to the possibility of signing Dro. Sources close to the player insisted the PSG deal was not closed at that point, but it's now clear talks were already advanced.
Dro's rise accelerated last summer when Arnau Blanco was promoted to Flick's staff after years in the academy, where he had coached Dro. His excitement about the player rubbed off on Flick and, while club sources said it was always a case of sooner rather than later, it expedited the youngster's progression.
Dro had joined Bara from Galician side Val Mior -- where Thiago Alcntara had also played -- aged 14 in 2022. Initially known as "Dro" because his brother could not say his name, it stuck given the number of other Pedros he played with down the years. Real Madrid had also been alerted to his talent, but sources involved in his move to Bara said Los Blancos "slept" on getting a deal done.
There are some players who lend themselves easily to comparisons. Dro is one of them. Val Mior coach Javier Roxo told ESPN: "I have not seen anyone as technical as Thiago [Alcntara], but in terms of vision, Dro is possibly ahead of him." Meanwhile, Luis Prez Barreiro, another ex-coach at Val Mior, compares him to club legend Andrs Iniesta, while current star Pedri has previously dubbed Dro his favorite player coming through at Bara.
Another coach who worked with Dro compared him to Brazil legend and Ballon d'Or winner, Kak. They told ESPN: "Dro's understanding of the game is way above the average. He always stood out as a different kind of player. I always saw him as being similar to Kak, even if he played for Real Madrid and AC Milan [not Bara]."
Dro, whose Galician father played amateur football and whose mother is from the Philippines, announced himself with a stunning strike in preseason which soon led to a competitive debut in LaLiga. A first Champions League start followed against Olympiacos, where he created a goal for Fermn to become the second-youngest player to provide an assist in the competition.
He becomes the latest highly-rated graduate of La Masia to depart Bara at a young age. Many seek opportunities away from Bara. Some -- such as Gerard Piqu, Cesc Fbregas, Eric Garca and Olmo -- eventually returned. Others -- notably Jordi Mboula and, to a lesser extent, Ilaix Moriba -- never reach the expected level. Meanwhile the jury is still out on the likes of Xavi Simons (now at Tottenham Hotspur) and Marc Guiu (Chelsea) in terms of their eventual ceiling in the game.
Time will tell which group Dro falls into, but PSG are getting one of the most promising youngsters to come through Bara's academy in the last five years. You only have to look at Flick's reaction to appreciate how much of a loss the youngster is to the club.
