When asked about Dro Fernandez on Tuesday, Alejandro Balde kept his answer short and diplomatic. Too diplomatic, perhaps.
"Every player thinks differently and you have to respect each person's decision. I wish him good luck. He's a player of great quality who has always behaved well with the whole dressing room," the Barcelona left-back told reporters at the club's pre-match press conference.
On the surface, nothing controversial. A teammate saying the right things about a departing colleague. But scratch beneath the polished PR veneer and there's a story Barcelona would rather not tell.
The facts that sting
Dro Fernandez—full name Pedro Fernández Sarmiento—turned 18 on January 12th. Eight days later, according to L'Équipe, he has signed a contract with Paris Saint-Germain until 2030. The reigning Champions League holders triggered his €6 million release clause. Six million. A bargain that stings.
The club expected the youngster to sign a new deal after his birthday, which would have allowed them to significantly bump up that release clause. Instead, they got blindsided. ESPN reported that Hansi Flick was "stunned" when informed of Dro's decision. The German coach had personally integrated the teenager into first-team training, viewing him as a bet on the future.
It didn't work out that way.
What Flick really thinks
Flick's press conference comments on the matter were more revealing than Balde's polite well-wishes. Speaking to Diario AS, the Barcelona boss took aim—not at Dro directly, but at those around him.
"There are people around him," Flick said. "You may not agree with what you do, but they are adults. There are people around them and it may incite them."
The implication is clear enough. Flick believes the player's entourage pushed for the exit. According to Barca Blaugranes, the club is "furious" with Dro's agent, suspecting he has attempted to place other clients at PSG using this deal as leverage.
Whether that's true or not, the end result remains the same: another La Masia talent out the door.
A pattern that keeps repeating
Marc Guiu left for Chelsea in 2024 for a similar fee. Unai Hernandez, the U19 captain, shocked everyone by heading to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. Sergi Dominguez—who made six first-team appearances last season—joined Dinamo Zagreb. Quim Junyent could be next, with Almeria circling.
The common thread? Low release clauses tied to youth contracts, limited first-team opportunities, and a queue of established stars blocking the path. Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez sit ahead of Dro in the pecking order. Neither is going anywhere soon. For an 18-year-old in a hurry, the calculation becomes straightforward.
Spanish journalist Alfredo Martinez put it bluntly on X: "Before Dro, we've already seen many cases of players who chose other clubs in haste. Many disappointments. If Dro decides to leave, he will miss out on the development he could have had at Barcelona, just like Pedri, Xavi, and Iniesta, who found success later than he would have."
Maybe. Or maybe Dro looked at Xavi Simons—another La Masia kid who left young, went to PSG, and now starts for Tottenham and the Netherlands national team—and decided the risk was worth taking.
Luis Enrique's long shadow
It helps that the man running PSG's sporting project knows exactly what La Masia produces. Luis Enrique spent three years managing Barcelona. He won the treble in 2015. He understands the academy's DNA better than most.
According to Sky Sport Germany's Florian Plettenberg, both Luis Enrique and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi personally convinced Dro to make the move. The promise? First-team minutes. A pathway. Things Barcelona couldn't guarantee with a straight face.
Robin Bairner, chief editor at Football Transfers, summed it up: "PSG have managed to beat these clubs purely because they've got that opportunity to offer first-team football."
Chelsea and Manchester City were interested too, but neither could match that pitch.
What Balde didn't say
Back to Balde's measured response. The 22-year-old knows better than most what it's like to fight for a spot at Barcelona. He broke through the ranks, survived Jordi Alba's shadow, became Spain's starting left-back at the 2022 World Cup. He made it.
But even he faces questions about his future. Barcelona have been scouting Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori as potential competitors. The club believes internal competition keeps players sharp. Sometimes it also pushes them out.
Dro Fernandez won't be the last kid to decide that waiting in line isn't for him. Barcelona can talk all they want about patience, about development, about the Barça way. But when PSG waves €6 million and Luis Enrique offers minutes, the romantic ideal loses its shine.
Balde wished him luck. He'll probably need it. But so will Barcelona if they can't find a way to close the back door.
