Real Sociedad reach agreement with Barcelona for Héctor Fort

Real Sociedad are closing in on a deal to sign Héctor Fort from Barcelona after moving ahead of Borussia Dortmund in the race for the highly rated right-back.

The 20-year-old had appeared increasingly likely to move to Germany earlier in the window, with Dortmund holding talks over a permanent transfer and Fort understood to have been attracted by the opportunity to continue his development in the Bundesliga.

That picture has changed sharply in the final days of the market.

Real Sociedad accelerated their pursuit during the latest round of negotiations and are now considered the clear favourites to complete the signing. Reports in Spain indicate that only final details remain before an agreement can be completed, although neither Barcelona nor Real Sociedad have formally announced the transfer.

The proposed deal is expected to be worth around €8 million, with Barcelona retaining a significant economic interest in Fort’s future.

That structure would allow the Catalan club to generate an immediate fee without completely surrendering the potential value of a player developed through La Masia. Details surrounding the exact percentage Barcelona would retain have been reported differently, meaning the final terms should remain provisional until the clubs confirm the agreement.

What is considerably clearer is Fort’s destination.

His situation had looked very different less than a week ago. Dortmund emerged as the strongest candidate and the defender was reported to favour a move to Germany ahead of approaches from Real Sociedad and Roma. Negotiations subsequently slowed, opening an opportunity that the Basque club have moved aggressively to exploit.

A meeting involving Barcelona sporting director Deco and Fort’s representatives has been central to the latest development, with the player now receptive to continuing his career in La Liga.

For Real Sociedad, the move addresses a genuine squad requirement rather than simply an opportunity to acquire another young Spanish talent.

Pellegrino Matarazzo has limited specialist depth at right-back. Álvaro Odriozola has been unavailable through injury, while Iñaki Rupérez has been moved back into the Sanse structure for the season. That has left Jon Aramburu as the only established natural option in the position within the senior squad.

Fort would immediately change that picture.

Primarily a right-back, the Barcelona academy graduate is technically comfortable enough to participate in possession and has experience operating in a side that asks its full-backs to receive high and inside as well as defend traditional wide areas. At 20, he remains a developmental signing, but one with meaningful exposure to senior football already behind him.

Fort has made 30 first-team appearances for Barcelona and spent last season on loan at Elche, where he added further La Liga experience away from the environment in which he was developed.

His pathway at Barcelona nevertheless narrowed.

With Hansi Flick not planning to make Fort a significant part of the first-team rotation this season, the defender has spent recent weeks working away from the main group while the club sought a permanent solution. Barcelona’s preference has been to sell rather than arrange another temporary move, while retaining some control over the player’s future value.

That position explains why negotiations have proved more complicated than a conventional departure for a young squad player.

Barcelona initially sought a higher fee and Dortmund appeared better positioned to meet those demands. Real Sociedad’s ability to construct a deal that combines a lower immediate payment with Barcelona retaining an economic stake has helped bring the Basque club back into the race.

From Fort’s perspective, remaining in Spain also offers a degree of continuity.

He already understands La Liga and would be moving to a club with a strong record of developing young players while competing domestically and in Europe. More importantly, Real Sociedad can present a credible route to first-team minutes in a position where their depth has become increasingly thin.

That opportunity appears to have been decisive in changing the direction of the negotiations.

For Dortmund, it represents a late setback after they had spent several days positioned as the most likely destination. For Barcelona, the priority remains reaching a structure that provides immediate revenue while protecting against the possibility of Fort developing rapidly elsewhere.

Real Sociedad now appear closest to providing that solution.

The transfer has not yet reached the stage where it should be described as completed. There is no official announcement, no confirmed registration and no final club statement detailing the financial terms.

But the momentum of the negotiations has shifted decisively.

A deal that appeared to be taking Héctor Fort from Barcelona to Borussia Dortmund is now moving towards San Sebastián, with Real Sociedad close to securing a young right-back who could immediately compete for a significant role in Matarazzo’s squad.