Football: Barca turn to Alvaro Cortes to cover Araujo exit

An exit opens the door

Barcelona already have their backup plan in place. Ronald Araujo is on the verge of joining Liverpool on loan with an option to buy. The Uruguay captain had already lost his place months ago. His departure leaves a hole at centre-back. According to Sport, Barca intend to fill it from within.

The name at the top of the list is Alvaro Cortes. The 21-year-old defender is set for a fast-tracked rise into the first-team picture.

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A homegrown talent ready for his shot

Cortes is no stranger at Barcelona. He arrived in 2021 at just 16 from Real Zaragoza and has climbed the ladder since then. He made his first-team debut in May 2026 under Hansi Flick. The Spain U20 international has three caps and stands 1.90m tall.

The numbers back him up. This season he captained the B team. Twenty-seven league matches, all starts, and three goals. Not bad for a player still so young. He already looks like a leader.

A bet on the academy

The move says plenty about Barca. Rather than splash cash in the market, the club are backing their own system. Cortes will have the awkward job of covering for an established figure. His big break is here.

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