Barcelona sell Héctor Fort to Real Sociedad for €8m with buy-back clause retained

Barcelona have permanently sold academy graduate Héctor Fort to Real Sociedad for a reported fee of around €8m, with the Catalan club retaining a buy-back option and a percentage of any future transfer involving the 20-year-old defender.

Fort spent more than a decade progressing through Barcelona’s youth system but was unable to force his way into the first-team picture. He spent last season on loan at Elche in the Spanish second division and will now look to establish himself as a regular starter in La Liga with the Basque side.

The defender was spotted at Real Sociedad on Saturday, attending the club’s La Liga fixture against Espanyol ahead of the deal being confirmed. He has signed a long-term contract with his new club running until 2031.

Despite the permanent nature of the transfer, Barcelona have structured the deal to preserve a degree of future leverage. The retained buy-back clause and the share of any subsequent sale mean the club could still benefit financially if Fort develops into a high-value player elsewhere.

The move is one of several expected departures from Barcelona in the closing days of the transfer window. Toni Fernandez is reportedly close to completing a move to Venezia, while midfielder Marc Casado has been linked with RB Leipzig and Besiktas ahead of an anticipated exit.