Barcelona sells one of its best academy players

Áron Yaakobishvili, a 20-year-old Hungarian goalkeeper, is close to leaving Barcelona in this transfer window to join Almería. According to reports, both clubs are working on a transfer valued between 2 and 3 million euros, with Barça retaining between 50% and 60% of the player's rights.

This move follows Yaakobishvili's loan spell at FC Andorra during the 2025/26 season. The goalkeeper played 21 matches in LaLiga Hypermotion, conceded 29 goals, and kept three clean sheets.

Áron Yaakobishvili swaps Barcelona for Almería

Yaakobishvili returned to Barcelona this summer after his loan at Andorra ended. The Catalan club included him in the first team's preseason, although their priority was to find a solution for him to continue gaining playing time.

He joined Barça in 2018 at the age of 12 and completed his training at La Masia. In 2025, he extended his contract until 2028 before going on loan to Andorra for his first full professional season.

His performance in the first half of the season stood out. Yaakobishvili was a regular starter for Andorra until mid-February, but later lost his place in the starting lineup and did not feature in the team's final games.

Now, Almería emerges as his next destination. The Andalusian club is shaping its squad for the 2026/27 season and already has Quim Junyent, another La Masia product, in their project.

Barcelona retains a share of the rights

The financial aspect differentiates this deal from a conventional permanent exit. The agreement being finalized involves a transfer fee between 2 and 3 million euros, with Barcelona retaining between 50% and 60% of Yaakobishvili's rights.

This arrangement would allow Barça to have a significant stake in any future sale. It also aligns with the need to reorganize a goalkeeper position with several players, requiring the club to decide who will be the third-choice goalkeeper.

Yaakobishvili's departure paves the way for other young talents. Iker Rodríguez, an 18-year-old, is among the prime candidates to assume that role after recently joining Barça Atlètic following participation in the first team's preseason.

An operation tied to the future of the youth system

For the academy player, this move means joining a LaLiga Hypermotion club where he can compete for minutes from the start. His immediate predecessor was his time at Andorra, where he made 21 appearances before losing prominence.

Furthermore, Almería is familiar with his progress, having faced off against Yaakobishvili in February, a match in which he conceded three goals in a 3-2 defeat.

The next step will be finalizing the transfer between Barcelona and Almería. If the anticipated financial agreement is confirmed, Áron Yaakobishvili will leave La Masia with Barça maintaining a 50-60% stake in any future sale.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El Barcelona vende a uno de sus mejores canteranos