Liverpool's Interest in Barcelona's Héctor Fort: A New Twist

Ronald Araújo’s arrival looked like it had closed the book on Liverpool’s defensive business this summer. A seasoned centre half who can also slot in at right back, the Uruguayan seemed to tick off two needs in one move and give the recruitment team room to breathe.

Yet Spain is telling a different story.

Catalan outlet Sport report that Barcelona’s 20-year-old right back Héctor Fort has appeared on Liverpool’s radar. They are not alone. Inter Milan, Fulham, and Tottenham are all said to be tracking the youngster, a reminder of how quickly a promising fullback at La Masia can become a pan-European target.

The noise, though, points across Stanley Park.

Everton are being painted as the most realistic destination for Fort. The defender has been at Barcelona for a decade, climbing through the academy structure before breaking into the senior side. He already has 24 first-team appearances to his name, with 20 of those coming in the 2024-25 season, and spent last year on loan at Elche to accelerate his development.

Not long ago, Fort was widely tipped as the next long-term right back at the Camp Nou. Coaches and scouts talked about him as the natural heir to that flank, a player who understood the club’s positional demands and could grow into a starting role.

That internal picture has changed.

Xavi Espart is now viewed as the more likely long-term answer on the right side of Barcelona’s defence, and that shift in hierarchy has opened the door. With Espart rising, Fort has reportedly been made available on the market, turning what once looked like a clear pathway into a potential exit route.

If Everton move first, Liverpool’s interest may remain nothing more than a line in a Spanish transfer column. But if the situation drags on, the idea of a Merseyside tug-of-war for a La Masia right back suddenly feels far less far-fetched.