Barcelona are making two very different moves in the transfer market. The club is preparing to let young defender Álvaro Cortés leave for Royal Antwerp while bringing in experienced Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livaković from Fenerbahçe.
The two deals show a clear balance in Barcelona’s squad planning. One move gives a young player a better chance to develop elsewhere, while the other adds experience to a position where the club wants greater security.
Why Barcelona Are Letting Álvaro Cortés Leave
The Álvaro Cortés’ transfer is not simply a case of Barcelona giving up on a promising defender Cortés, a left-footed centre-back from Zaragoza, spent three years developing with Barça Atlètic before making his first-team debut against Alavés in May. He also featured during pre-season and attracted interest from several clubs.
However, competition for places has made regular first-team football difficult. With Barcelona looking to add another left-footed centre-back, Cortés reportedly decided that leaving was the better option rather than returning to reserve-team football.
His move to Royal Antwerp is expected to include a buy-back option and a sell-on clause, allowing Barcelona to benefit if he develops into a top-level defender.
What Dominik Livaković Brings
The Dominik Livaković signing with Barcelona takes the opposite approach. At 31, the Croatian goalkeeper brings years of experience at club and international level. He has played at three World Cups and two European Championships and made 74 appearances for Fenerbahçe, keeping 24 clean sheets.
Barcelona have agreed a relatively low-cost deal of about €2 million upfront, with additional payments possible through bonuses. Livaković has signed until 2030.
His arrival gives Hansi Flick another experienced option behind Joan García, while Wojciech Szczęsny provides further depth.
Barcelona’s Bigger Transfer Strategy
These moves reveal an interesting part of Barcelona’s transfer planning. The club does not necessarily have to keep every promising academy player in the first team immediately. Instead, the Álvaro Cortés transfer allows him to gain senior experience while Barcelona protect their future interest through contractual clauses.
At the same time, the Barcelona goalkeeper signing provides immediate experience without requiring a huge transfer fee.
For Cortés, the next step is proving he can handle regular senior football. For Livaković, it is about showing that his experience can strengthen Barcelona’s goalkeeping department.
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