Confirmed: Barcelona defender joins Real Sociedad on a permanent deal

Confirmed: Barcelona defender joins Real Sociedad on a permanent deal Weeks of speculation have come to an end as Hector Fort has now officially joined Real Sociedad this summer. The move comes just ahead of the summer transfer window deadline, with Fort becoming the latest in a long list of players who have departed the club this summer. Fort was initially expected to join Borussia Dortmund, but a swift approach from Sociedad ensured a turnaround of fortunes. Details of the Fort deal Real Sociedad have confirmed the Fort deal on their official media handles. The club have further confirmed through a statement that Fort has signed a five-year contract until 2031. Earlier, Fabrizio Romano had reported that Sociedad are set to pay Barcelona a fee of around €8 million to sign Fort this summer. Barcelona will make up for the low valuation by holding a buyback clause of around €20 million. It remains to be seen whether the club have managed to reserve a certain percentage of the player’s transfer rights as well. The confirmation of this deal was simply a matter of time, as Fort was even seen in attendance during Sociedad’s game against Espanyol recently. A good move for all parties? Fort set for a new adventure at Real Sociedad. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images) Hector Fort’s departure is a net positive for Barcelona, who have the right-back area covered. Xavi Espart has shown immense potential during these early days, albeit at left-back, whereas the club have Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia and Joao Cancelo as potential options in the position. Fort, therefore, simply had no chance of making a big impact in Hansi Flick’s setup this season. At Real Sociedad, he does have a solid chance of making a breakthrough as he only has to compete with Jon Aramburu and Alvaro Odriozola. Fort’s ability to play on both flanks, coupled with his technical qualities, make him a natural fit for Pellegrino Matarazzo’s tactical setup, as the American coach usually prefers young, marauding wingbacks in his system. Keeping that in mind, it will be interesting to see how this move works out for Fort, as he makes the next step in his career.