Joan Laporta blindly trusts Deco. The president of FC Barcelona has given him full authority to restructure the team.
The sporting director is keeping his promise: bringing in talent, youth, and experience without compromising the club's finances. Now, the next big move has been leaked: a strategic signing from the Premier League who'll arrive at Camp Nou for free.
He'll arrive at Barça as a free agent, at zero cost
Deco has reached a verbal agreement with a footballer whose contract ends this summer in England. This is a name that hasn't been in the headlines, hasn't made the front pages, but who has Hansi Flick's blessing and will arrive at Barça as a free agent.
The objective is clear: strengthen without spending a single euro on transfer fees. This is a versatile profile, with European experience and used to the physical pace of the Premier League. A footballer who can play in several positions in midfield or even in defense, providing tactical alternatives for Flick.
Barça has done everything right. They have kept the secret, waited for the player to finish his contract, and moved forward in negotiations without leaking details to prevent other clubs from interfering. The result is a closed deal that will allow the Culers to add a top-level reinforcement without compromising finances.
The agreement is complete
The strategy responds directly to the club's new sporting plan: smart signings, taking advantage of market opportunities, and looking for players who want to come to Barça. This signing, who'll arrive as a free agent, meets all the requirements.
The agreement is complete and the club already considers the most unexpected transfer of the market to be closed.
Partey, 30 years old, finishes his contract with Arsenal on June 30 and won't renew. Deco, alert to movements in the Premier League, has seized the opportunity to bring in the Ghanaian without a transfer fee. A strategic signing that strengthens the midfield with experience, muscle, and competitive character, exactly what Hansi Flick is asking for in his new project.
The former Atlético de Madrid player knows LaLiga perfectly and is eager to return to Spain. Barça has been the desired destination. Although the player had much higher offers from Saudi Arabia and Italy, he has prioritized wearing the blaugrana jersey.
Experience at the service of a team overflowing with youth
He wants to compete at the highest level, play in the Champions League, and show that he still has a lot of soccer left in his boots.
Deco doesn't want to repeat mistakes from the past, so he has focused on proven footballers who arrive as free agents. Who also bring experience to a team full of youth.
Partey is the perfect example: an international, with experience in the Premier League and Champions League, and with a physical profile that's rare in the current Barça.
The news has been well received in the locker room. Although the club has Frenkie de Jong, Christensen (as an occasional pivot), Eric García, and the young Casadó, Partey's arrival provides guarantees in the team's most fragile position. Flick wants him as an anchor in the double pivot, and the player is ready to take on the challenge from the first day of preseason.
He left a great memory in Spain
Thomas Partey was one of the best midfielders in LaLiga during his time at Atlético. His departure to Arsenal in 2020 for €50 million left a mark at the Metropolitano, but in England his performance has been inconsistent due to injuries. Now, without pressure and in a new environment, Barça offers him a second youth.
Deco has done it again. Another silent but effective market coup. The new Barça is starting to take shape.