Just in: Barcelona breakthrough starlet set to leave by paying €6 million release clause | OneFootball

In a major development, Carlos Monfort of SPORT reports that Barcelona starlet Pedro ‘Dro’ Fernandez will leave the club during the winter transfer window, after deciding to pay the €6 million release clause stipulated in his contract.

The 18-year-old wonderkid, who was enjoying his breakthrough campaign this term, informed Hansi Flick of his decision this morning at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.

Barcelona had planned to renew Dro’s contract once he turned 18, which he did on 12 January, shortly after returning from Saudi Arabia following the Super Cup victory. However, Deco was unable to complete the operation in time.

As a result, the Catalans are now set to lose one of the most highly regarded prospects from La Masia, now that he is legally able to change clubs at this age.

Dro on his way out. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The youngster has offers from teams across Europe, and at this point, his next destination is still unclear. Barcelona, for their part, will make a late attempt to convince him, but as things stand, Dro is bound for the exit doors.

Dro joined Barcelona’s academy in the summer of 2022. His strong performances earned him a place in the first-team set-up in recent months, but his time in the Catalan capital has now come to an end.

Dro earned the trust of the German coach during pre-season and remained part of the first-team dynamics throughout this phase of the campaign. In total, he played 148 minutes across five matches, four in La Liga and one in the Champions League, under Flick’s management.

During that time, he provided one assist. His final appearance as a Barcelona player was on 2 December, a month and a half ago, against Atletico Madrid at the Spotify Camp Nou, when he played the final 15 minutes after replacing Raphinha.