According to Sport, Hector Fort will begin preseason preparations under new Barcelona manager Hansi Flick.
The 19-year-old right-back recently completed a loan spell at Elche. Flick has informed him that he will be included in the squad, at least during the initial training phase, as the manager assesses his development before deciding on his future role.
This approach is logical given Fort's impressive performances as a right wing-back for Elche. A tactical adjustment by manager Francisco García Pimienta proved crucial to Fort's breakthrough. When Elche faced Real Madrid at home, García Pimienta deployed a five-at-the-back system with wing-backs, a position where Fort thrived in La Liga.
Barcelona discovered Fort at youth academy Penya Anguera and brought him to the club's reserve team. He already showed exceptional physical attributes—combining strength and speed to create attacking opportunities. In Barcelona's academy, he developed as both a center-back and full-back, not as a converted winger.
As a full-back, Fort displayed attacking potential that was further amplified when operating as a right wing-back for Elche. After a strong performance against Girona in January, García Pimienta praised him: "We got a very good performance from this player. Hector is still very young and hadn't played so many consecutive games before. This is part of the growth process. We are very satisfied with his level."
Mid-season marked Fort's breakthrough in this position, which allowed him to focus more on attacking than defending. He adapted well to La Liga's pace, but a shoulder dislocation suffered while playing for Elche forced him to undergo surgery. Upon his return, the club's relegation battle limited his involvement, and he fell away from his peak form.
Now returning to Barcelona, Fort faces a significant adjustment. He must transition from excelling as a wing-back to fulfilling the more defensive responsibilities of a Barcelona right-back, particularly given Lamine Yamal's presence on the wing.
Under Flick, Barcelona has adopted an asymmetrical setup: the left-back is more attacking to allow Raphinha to cut inside, while the right-back is relatively more conservative and defensively focused.
Fort's familiarity with Yamal is an advantage. However, he has also shown promise as a left-back for Barcelona, where he can be more attacking. The competition for the right-back position is intense—Barcelona has Eric García and Jules Koundé as established options, plus Xavi Espart as an alternative.
For Fort, preseason will be critical. He must convince Flick that he has developed enough to contribute at the required level.