Alvaro Cortes signs new Barcelona deal amid first-team involvement | OneFootball

La Masia has been a massive backbone for FC Barcelona so far, not just for this season but in the past few years. Now, the club has secured the future of another important academy talent, with Alvaro Cortes now putting pen to paper on a new deal with the club.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Blaugranes have reached an agreement with the Barcelona Atlètic captain over a contract renewal that will keep him tied to the club until June 30, 2028, with the option of extending that link by a further year.

That is an important piece of business for Barcelona. Cortes has steadily grown into one of the most highly regarded defensive figures in the reserve team setup, and the club’s decision to move now reflects how highly he is valued internally.

The 21-year-old has not only been leading Barcelona Atlètic as captain this season, but has also recently been involved in first-team training and matchday squads. The timing of the announcement also carried a nice touch, as the renewal was confirmed on Cortes’ birthday.

The centre-back trained with the first team on Tuesday ahead of the Newcastle clash and was welcomed by teammates with birthday celebrations that also marked his continuity at the club. From Barcelona’s point of view, the renewal makes complete sense.

Cortes has become a fixed starter for Juliano Belletti’s side, playing 22 league matches, all as a starter, while also scoring two goals this season. Beyond the numbers, though, his leadership role and growing proximity to the senior setup make him a player the club clearly wants to protect for the long term.

For Barcelona, this is yet another sign that La Masia remains central to the sporting project. And in Cortes’ case, the feeling is increasingly clear: he is no longer just another promising reserve-team defender, but a player already moving closer to the first-team picture.