Liverpool’s Right-Back Puzzle: Could Héctor Fort from Barcelona Solve It?
Liverpool’s defensive rebuild isn’t finished yet. The club has already moved for Jeremy Jacquet to bulk up the centre-back options and brought in Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona, a versatile stopgap who can cover both the middle and the right. But the right side of defense still feels one injury away from a crisis.
Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong continue to battle fitness issues. Araujo’s stay is temporary. The position that once looked locked down for a decade suddenly needs a long-term plan. That search has led Liverpool’s recruitment team back to Catalonia and to one of La Masia’s latest products: Héctor Fort.
So who is the young full-back being lined up as a potential solution?
La Masia-raised and Barcelona-born
Héctor Fort is a right-back on the books at Barcelona. Born in Barcelona on August 2, 2006, he is 20 years old and just at the beginning of his professional journey.
His story is a familiar one for many Catalan prospects. He started out at local side Anguera before Barcelona moved quickly, bringing him into the famed La Masia academy at just seven years old. From there, he climbed through the age groups in the only way that really counts at that club: quietly, consistently, without fuss.
Breakthrough and early setbacks
Fort has been a Barcelona player his entire career. He signed on in 2013 and spent a decade learning the club’s positional play and demands on the ball before getting his first real opening in 2023 with the B team.
That same year, he stepped onto the biggest stage of all. His senior debut came in the Champions League against Royal Antwerp, a rapid elevation that underlined how highly the club rated his development.
From that point, Fort accumulated 30 senior appearances for Barcelona across all competitions, enough to show glimpses of his potential but not yet enough to cement a permanent starting role. To accelerate his growth, Barcelona sanctioned a loan move to Elche for the 2025/26 season.
The plan was clear: regular minutes, a tougher environment, and a chance to turn promise into reliability. The reality was more complicated. Fort managed 17 appearances for Elche, his spell disrupted by a series of injury issues that stalled his momentum. By the end of the campaign, he was back at the Nou Camp, still talented, still highly thought of, but without the uninterrupted run that might have transformed his status.
A window of opportunity
Now comes the twist. Despite his obvious upside, Barcelona is believed to be open to a sale this summer. With three years left on his contract, Fort is not in a desperate, last-minute situation, but his club appears ready to listen to offers as the transfer window ticks towards its September 1 deadline.
That stance has alerted several clubs, and Liverpool is among those monitoring the situation. For the Premier League side, the appeal is straightforward: a 20-year-old, La Masia-educated right-back who can grow into the role over time, at a moment when the position has become a persistent headache.
Liverpool’s defense has already taken on a new shape this summer. The addition of Jacquet brings depth. Araujo offers short-term cover. But the long-term picture at right-back still feels unresolved.
Fort, if a deal can be struck, would not arrive as a finished article or a guaranteed starter. He would come as a project with top-level experience, a player whose career has already brushed against the Champions League but still needs a club willing to invest minutes and patience.
Barcelona is open. Liverpool is interested. The window is closing. Does this become the move that finally locks down Liverpool’s right flank for the next decade, or just another name that slipped through as the clock ran down?
