Barcelona 21-year-old academy starlet set to be part of first-team pre-season | OneFootball

Under Hansi Flick, there has been no dearth of opportunities for youngsters from La Masia in the FC Barcelona first-team setup.

The likes of Marc Bernal, Toni Fernandez, Pedro ‘Dro’ Fernandez, Jofre Torrents, Xavi Espart, and Tommy Marques, among others, have made their senior debuts for the Blaugrana.

Another player knocking on the doors of the German tactician happens to be centre-back Alvaro Cortes.

Flick to call Cortes up for pre-season

Now, according to SPORT, Cortes has taken a significant step towards the first team at Barcelona after earning the trust of Flick.

The 21-year-old left-footed centre-back has already been included in ten first-team matchday squads this season. Although he is yet to make his official debut, his opportunity is approaching.

As such, Barcelona plan for Cortes to be part of the first team’s pre-season preparations, where he will aim to secure a place in the squad for the 2026/27 campaign.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Álvaro Cortés (@alvaarocortes)

While transfer activity could still influence the final decision, the Catalans’ current intention is to integrate him into the senior team.

Cortes has been developing patiently, working behind the scenes to earn his chance at the highest level. He has completed two strong seasons with Barça Atletic, even captaining the team this term, with his progression viewed very positively by the first-team staff.

Flick has paid close attention to academy players in training and values the qualities of the defender who joined La Masia in 2021.

Across the past two campaigns, he has made 56 appearances, becoming the most-used player in the reserve team during that period.

Cortes was recently handed a new contract until 2028, underlining the club’s commitment to his development.

And now, the plan appears to take the next step in his integration into the first-team squad, starting with the pre-season this summer.