Barcelona offered chance to enact revenge on PSG for Dro Fernandez transfer

Barcelona may soon have an opportunity to balance the books with Paris Saint-Germain after the French champions poached teenage midfielder Dro Fernandez for a bargain €6 million release clause in January. Catalan frustration over the loss of the 18-year-old—promoted to the first team last summer by head coach Hansi Flick—could be sootled by the emergence of a new target: 17-year-old defender Emmanuel Mbemba.

Mbemba, capable of featuring at left-back or centre-back, is approaching the final months of his PSG contract. Despite the Ligue 1 giants pushing for a renewal, no agreement has materialised, leaving the France youth international free to negotiate a pre-contract with foreign clubs. According to Sport, Barcelona have already registered their interest and are preparing an offer to bring the teenager into their reserve setup, Barça Atlètic.

The Catalans have been busy reinforcing their second string this winter, having added Hamza Abdelkarim and Juwensley Onstein during the recent window. Mbemba would represent another statement of intent as the club stockpiles talent for the future. Yet Barcelona will face stiff competition: Bayern Munich are also monitoring the defender and view him as a prospect capable of eventually graduating to senior football.

While Barça officials harbour no animosity toward PSG themselves, the Fernandez affair still stings inside the Ciutat Esportiva. Unable to block his departure once the €6 million clause was triggered, sporting director Deco and Flick both voiced public disappointment at losing a player they had fast-tracked into the first-team environment. Securing Mbemba on a free transfer would not compensate for Fernandez’s exit on the pitch, but it would deliver a measure of revenge in the ongoing tug-of-war for Europe’s brightest talents.

With negotiations expected to intensify before the season ends, Barcelona hope to move swiftly and land another jewel from the French capital, turning PSG’s contract oversight into their own long-term gain.