Álvaro Cortés is the young prospect with the best chance of breaking through at Barcelona next season

VITORIA, SPAIN - MAY 13: Alvaro Cortes Moyano of FC Barcelona warms up prior to the LaLiga EA Sports match between Deportivo Alaves and FC Barcelona at Mendizorrotza on May 13, 2026, in Vitoria, Spain. (Photo By Ricardo Larreina/Europa Press via Getty Images) | Europa Press via Getty Images In what was for the most part a tough watch if you’re a Barcelona fan , there was one intriguing storyline to come out of the loss to Alavés. Álvaro Cortés is a player to monitor going forward.

Hansi Flick looks like he’s going to prioritize using the final games of this La Liga season as a tryout for next year, rather than chasing more wins and goals. That’s the right call. We know that there will be a few positional areas of needs heading into the summer.

A center back and a striker are right at the top of the list. It’s hard to see a center forward emerging from the ranks of Barca Atlètic, but Cortés may have a golden opportunity in front of him to prove he can provide much needed depth defensively. The young defender is not a bright eyed teenager the way Pau Cubarsí was when he broke through to the first time from the academy.

It’s incredible to believe the star defender is still just 19 years old. Cortés is 21 years old, and the current captain of Barca Atlètic. He was an academy player at Real Zaragoza until 2021, when he moved to Barcelona, and even spent a season on loan before coming back to play for Barca’s second team.