Hot market close: The three players who were closest to leaving Barcelona

The FC Barcelona board managed to avoid at least three departures in the final stretch of the winter market. Hansi Flick did not want to lose any players from a squad he has worked wonders with so far, aware of the demanding schedule in the final stretch of the season and the limited options available to strengthen in January. These were the players who were closest to leaving Barça this week.

Héctor Fort

The full-back has been the defender with the least participation so far in the 2024-25 season. The great season of Jules Koundé has barely allowed him to play 11 matches (2 as a starter), but Fort preferred to stay for the rest of the season despite having an interesting offer from Serie A. 'Catalunya Ràdio' confirmed the interest of Como, led by Cesc Fàbregas, in the 18-year-old defender, but ultimately the player's decision ruled out any negotiations between the Italians and Barça.

Pau Víctor

The forward seemed like a sure departure at the beginning of January, but the 'soap opera' of his registration and that of Dani Olmo cooled Betis' interest, the main contender for his loan. Later, rumors about the possible signing of Marcus Rashford put Pau back on the exit ramp. However, after the arrival of the English forward at Aston Villa, Hansi Flick insisted on retaining the player from San Cugat del Vallès. Although he has played very little so far, the coaching staff considers him an important piece for rotation in attack.

Pablo Torre

The other player who was about to leave in the final stretch of the winter market was Pablo Torre. Porto had plenty of money to finalize his transfer after the sale of Nico González, but the Cantabrian preferred to stay, knowing that Hansi Flick would consider him to manage the minutes of his midfielders. This Thursday, against Valencia, the 21-year-old player hopes to add quality minutes in the Copa del Rey, a tournament where he has had more prominence.

Eric García and Sergi Domínguez could also be added to the list, although their situations had been resolved earlier. Eric was very close to returning to Girona, but Flick insisted on his stay as the first alternative for the center of defense, following the injury of Iñigo Martínez. The coach also did not want to part with Sergi, once the physical relapse of Andreas Christensen was confirmed.