21-year-old defender wants to stay at Barcelona despite receiving offers to leave | OneFootball

Alvaro Cortes is attracting interest from several clubs, but his current plan remains clear: continue at FC Barcelona and try to convince Hansi Flick in preseason.

The young defender has earned attention after his performances with Barca Atletic and his first-team emergence, giving him a stronger profile in the market.

According to Mundo Deportivo, clubs from La Liga, Segunda Division and other European leagues have already asked Barcelona about his situation.

For now, Barca have called Cortes up for preseason, which begins on July 13, and Flick wants to observe him closely before any decision is made.

Patience may define his next step

The difficulty is obvious. Barcelona already have Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen and Gerard Martin as centre-back options. The club also do not completely rule out signing another defender.

That makes Cortes’ path complicated, but not impossible. Flick has shown that he values players who train well, understand the system and offer tactical reliability.

The player’s camp believes Barcelona remain the best place for his sporting and personal development. That is a mature position, especially when offers are already arriving.

A loan has not been ruled out, but it is not the first plan right now. Cortes wants to stay, learn and wait for his moment.

For Barca, this is exactly how academy development should work. Not every youngster needs to rush away at the first sign of competition. Sometimes the best move is to survive a preseason, earn trust and let the coach decide.

Cortes has time, talent and the club’s confidence. Now he has a chance to show Flick that he is more than just another promising defender in a crowded position.