Barcelona youngster Dro Fernández will leave the club in the January transfer window by paying a €6 million release clause. The player informed Barcelona manager Hansi Flick of his decision on the morning of January 16 local time.
The shocking news that Barcelona’s "next Yamal" Dro Fernández is set to leave the club has attracted the attention of numerous top European sides.
Chelsea and Manchester City are the two frontrunners in the race for the 18-year-old prodigy, while Borussia Dortmund has also shown strong interest in him.
In addition, a French club has expressed keen interest in Fernández. The player himself has confirmed that he will depart Barcelona during the January transfer window.
His current contract includes a €6 million (£5.1 million) release clause, which is expected to be activated soon.
The attacking midfielder will not stay in Spain, a decision that has undoubtedly boosted the confidence of the three European giants eyeing his signature.
This season, Fernández successfully broke into Barcelona’s first team under Hansi Flick, making a total of five appearances. Four of these came in La Liga, with the other being a start in the UEFA Champions League match against Olympiacos last October.
In that game, he provided an assist for Fermín López’s goal, which stands as his only goal contribution for the Spanish heavyweights to date.
However, since that match, he has not started another game, only making two brief substitute appearances.
The Spanish youth international graduated from the renowned La Masia academy. Fernández worked his way up through the ranks to become the latest highly-touted young star at Barcelona, but his journey at the club is set to end prematurely, with a move to the Premier League or Bundesliga looking highly likely.
It is certain that Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is extremely unhappy with Fernández’s decision to leave the club. The German tactician was left stunned by the youngster’s choice to depart.
Flick learned of Fernández’s impending exit on Friday. He is said to be "particularly frustrated" at the prospect of losing a player he deems crucial to the team’s present and future.
Reports state that he told those close to him that Fernández’s departure is "the biggest disappointment of my life".
Flick took the teenage talent under his wing, but once the transfer is finalized, he will have no choice but to watch him leave his squad.
