La Liga club dismiss links with Barcelona academy starlet: ‘A market rumour’

Hansi Flick’s preseason campaign has focused on academy standouts and non-international players, as most first-team names were participating in the FIFA World Cup. One such player is Hector Fort, a young full-back who was loaned out last summer to join Elche. Elche's general manager, Pedro Schinocca, dismissed rumors of a potential return for the Barcelona academy star, stating that the talk is merely a "market rumour."

Fort's loan at Elche did not include an option to purchase, leading to his return to Catalonia under Hansi Flick’s guidance.

During his time at Elche last season, Fort appeared in fourteen matches, starting seven, and logged over 35 minutes per game. He contributed two goals and an equal number of assists, averaging more than 35 minutes per game and demonstrating solid performance with 83% of his passes completed. Additionally, he managed to record 0.9 shots and 0.3 key passes per game, showcasing his potential.

However, Elche's managerial change from Eder Sarabia to Martin Anselmi has altered the team's dynamics and Fort's future at the club appears uncertain. With Anselmi in charge, the likelihood of Fort returning to Elche diminishes, forcing him to seek an alternative transfer or prove himself against right-backs Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia at Barcelona.