Hector Fort: Liverpool's Right-Back Solution from La Masia
Liverpool’s right-back puzzle has a new name on the board – and it’s one that comes straight out of La Masia.
With the summer window heading into its final stretch, Liverpool has already moved decisively in defense. Jeremy Jacquet has arrived from Rennes to bolster the center of the back line, while Ronald Araujo has come in on loan from Barcelona, offering cover both centrally and on the right.
That hasn’t ended the debate. Far from it.
Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong remain dogged by injury problems, and Araujo’s stay is only temporary. The position still feels fragile, still one knock away from a crisis. So Liverpool’s recruitment team has kept the search going for a long-term answer.
One of the most intriguing solutions? Hector Fort.
A La Masia full-back on the market
Fort is a right-back on the books at Barcelona, a modern defender shaped in one of the most demanding academies in world football. Born in Barcelona on August 2, 2006, he is 20 years old at the time of writing and just at the beginning of his professional career.
He grew up in the city, starting out with Anguera before stepping into the glare of La Masia at the age of seven. From that point, his path has been strictly blaugrana.
Signed by Barcelona in 2013, Fort has climbed through the youth ranks, ticking off each age group in turn. His breakthrough came in 2023 with the B team, a first real taste of senior-level intensity. That same year, he was handed his full debut for the first team in the Champions League against Royal Antwerp – a clear sign of how highly the club rated his potential.
Since that debut, Fort has gone on to make 30 appearances for Barcelona across all competitions, gaining valuable minutes and exposure at the top level.
A loan, a setback, and a return
To accelerate his development, Barcelona sent Fort on loan to Elche for the 2025/26 season. The idea was simple: regular football, real pressure, and the kind of week-to-week responsibility that a young defender needs to harden his game.
He managed 17 appearances during that spell. It could have been more. Injuries cut into his rhythm, disrupted his momentum, and limited his ability to put together a sustained run of form. By the end of the campaign, he was back at the Nou Camp, his potential still intact but his trajectory slightly more complicated.
The talent remains. So does the question of what comes next.
Liverpool watching as Barcelona listens
This summer, Barcelona is believed to be open to an exit for Fort. With three years left on his contract, the club has room to negotiate and interested sides have started to circle.
Liverpool is among those paying close attention. The right-back role has become a recurring headache at Anfield, and Fort represents exactly the kind of profile that appeals: young, technically schooled, and with elite-level experience already on his record.
For now, it’s an opportunity rather than a done deal. But with the window closing on Sept. 1 and Barcelona ready to listen, the next few weeks will decide whether Hector Fort’s journey takes him from La Masia’s classrooms to the Anfield touchline.
