PSG beat Chelsea to shock wonderkid deal

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Barcelona attacking midfielder Dro Fernandez will join PSG for a price just above his €6m release clause.

The extra funds that PSG will send to Barcelona are to “keep a good relationship” between the clubs, according to Romano.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder has been linked with a move away from the Spanish giants after requesting a transfer in pursuit of more playing time.

Fernandez has been a regular on Barcelona’s bench in recent months, but he has only made five appearances in all competitions.

He started and provided an assist in his club’s 6-1 UEFA Champions League League Phase win over Olympiacos in October.

Like his teammates Pedri, Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez, and Gavi, he excels in tight spaces and is a strong passer and dribbler.

But with those names ahead of him in the pecking order, he has decided to seek a move to a club where he can make an instant impact.

Another deal between European giants

There’s a deep transfer history between PSG and Barca, especially within the past decade.

The last big transfer between the clubs happened in the summer of 2023, when Barca sold Ousmane Dembele to the Parisians for €50m. Dembele went on to lift the Champions League trophy and win the 2025 Ballon d’Or with PSG.

Most famously, PSG met Neymar’s €222m release clause in the summer of 2017.

Neymar’s time at PSG did not see the club win its much-desired Champions League title, but it raised the club’s profile and perhaps laid the groundwork for the Parisians’ 2024/25 European triumph.

Other deals between the clubs include Lucas Digne leaving PSG for Barca in 2016 and Raphinha Alcantara going from Spain to France in 2020.

Of course, both clubs employed Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest footballer of all time. When Barca’s financial struggles meant they could not renew Messi’s contract in 2021, he headed to Paris to play with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Les Parisiens will hope Fernandez will follow a path more similar to Dembele’s time at the club than those of Neymar and Messi.

Chelsea, Man City fail to hijack Dro deal

Chelsea and Man City tried to hijack PSG’s move for a Barcelona wonderkid, according to Marc Mechenoua.

The southwest London club, which has signed many of the world’s brightest young talents in recent years, wants to add the La Masia product to its ranks.

Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund are also considering a move for the young Spaniard.

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