Barcelona were rocked on Friday afternoon when a prized La Masia teenager told Hansi Flick he was leaving the club right now by triggering a surprisingly low release clause. The news landed just days after the team lifted the Spanish Supercup and as the squad flew home from Saudi Arabia, turning a week of joy into a jolt.

The player is Pedro “Dro” Fernandez. He turned 18 on January 12, 2026, and will activate a €6 million release clause (about $6.9m–$7m) to walk away during the January window. For a talent Barcelona viewed as a future No. 8 or No. 10, the fee feels tiny — and that is why Europe’s giants are circling.

Flick’s reaction was raw. The coach called it “the biggest disappointment of my life” — or “as a coach” — and immediately pulled Dro out of first-team training to protect him from injury and because he felt the teenager’s focus had shifted. The club, stunned, had planned to renew his deal now that he is 18. His current contract still has 18 months left.

From La Masia fast-track to a shock goodbye

Dro joined Barcelona’s academy at 14 in 2022 and rose fast. Coaches and scouts drew early comparisons to Thiago Alcântara and Pedri — a smooth mover with vision, tight control, and the bravery to take the ball under pressure. Flick liked him, too. He took Dro on the preseason tour to Japan and South Korea, brought him into first-team training, and handed him key milestones in the autumn.

This season, Dro appeared in five senior matches for a total of 148 minutes. He started twice: his LaLiga debut came away to Real Sociedad, and he earned a Champions League start against Olympiacos. In Piraeus, he produced his first professional assist, setting up Fermín López — and in doing so became the second-youngest player ever to assist in the Champions League, behind only Giovanni Reyna.

“€6m for a potential Barca No.10? For Europe’s elite, that’s a small bet with huge upside.”

Why Dro is walking away now

For all the nods of approval and those early minutes, Dro sees a wall in front of him at Barcelona. He believes he will not get enough chances in his best role behind the striker. The rise of Fermín López, plus Dani Olmo’s presence at No. 10, made the picture look crowded.

The numbers paint the challenge. In 2026 alone, Fermín has 1 goal and 6 assists in just 233 minutes — a goal contribution every 33 minutes. Add in Pedri and Gavi in the interior roles, and Raphinha and Marcus Rashford fighting for the wide attacking spots, and a teenager’s runway shrinks fast. For Dro, the path to real, regular minutes felt too narrow.

The timing adds a sting. Barcelona’s plan was to sign a new, improved contract with him soon after his 18th birthday. Instead, just days after teammates sang Happy Birthday and Raphinha presented a cake, he told the club he would go. It echoes the Marc Guiu exit to Chelsea in 2024 — another La Masia forward leaving for a relatively small figure because the market made it easy.

“Flick built a runway for him — did the queue at No.10 just scare him off?”

Flick’s fury and the immediate fallout

Hansi Flick’s disappointment is not only about losing a talent. It is also about timing, trust, and the message it sends to the dressing room. He gave Dro rare chances for his age: preseason travel, a LaLiga start, a Champions League start. In return, he expected patience and commitment while competition remained fierce. When the player chose to go, Flick’s response was swift — remove him from training, reduce noise, and keep focus on the group.

The club understands the rules of the market and, by all accounts, respects the player’s choice. Yet there is hope inside the building for at least one last conversation. Barcelona know how highly rated Dro is across Europe, and they know the price point is inviting. Even so, they may try to convince him that his best path still runs through Montjuïc now and the Camp Nou later.

Where next? Superclubs are lining up

Clubs linked at this stage include Chelsea, Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, PSG, Bayern Munich, and West Ham. That list tells its own story: technical teams that value young creators, plus clubs with the finances and patience to let a teenager grow.

For those sides, €6m is a smart swing. The fee is small, the ceiling is high, and the development plans at those clubs can be very clear for young attackers. Dortmund, in particular, have a track record with this profile. City and PSG can afford to buy and develop with less risk. Chelsea have leaned into youth projects before — as Barcelona know all too well from the Guiu case.

“Another La Masia gem walking for coins — Barca must protect their future stars better.”

What Barcelona lose — and why €6m stings

Barcelona are not just losing a player; they are losing an idea. Dro had been seen as a future bridge between the academy and the first team in key creative roles. A modern No. 8/No. 10 who fits the club’s identity, who could have learned next to Pedri and Gavi, and who had already tasted the speed of Champions League football.

At €6m, the exit hurts because it undercuts the time and trust invested in him. It also sends a message to other prospects: if the path looks blocked, the escape hatch is real and affordable. That puts pressure on Barcelona to tighten contract structures for top teenagers and to present even clearer development plans, especially when the first team is full of established stars.

The bigger picture: lessons from Marc Guiu and now Dro

Two stories, two years, same theme. Marc Guiu’s 2024 move to Chelsea showed how quickly a La Masia forward can be picked off when the release clause is reachable. Dro’s case doubles down on the point. The market will not wait for a teenager to find space in a crowded first team. If the path is blocked, the clause becomes the path.

Barcelona can still make one final push to keep Dro, but the trend is clear: the club must protect its brightest kids earlier and shape cleaner roadmaps to real minutes. Otherwise, more will choose a short-term move that promises long-term minutes elsewhere.

What happens next

As things stand, Dro’s next club is undecided. Expect meetings, calls, and a swift resolution given the low fee and the January clock. Wherever he lands — England, Germany, or France — he will likely be placed in a plan with steady minutes and time to grow.

For Barcelona, the task is twofold. Finish the window strong without distraction, and make sure the next La Masia star sees a future in the first team, not a shortcut out of it. In a week that started with a trophy and birthday cake, the club received a cold reminder: in modern football, the line from promise to goodbye can be very short.

Dro’s choice is bold. For €6m, someone is about to make a big bet. Barcelona’s job now is to make sure the next one stays long enough for that bet to be theirs.