Barcelona aren't content merely to reap the rewards of a strong start to the season. They're working at the same time to secure the team's future for years to come. While Hansi Flick's men keep competing hard for titles, sporting director Deco is moving behind the scenes to close the renewal files one after another, having already retained the most prominent cornerstones of the Catalan project.
Nine players committed their futures last year, among them Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí and Eric García. Now the club is preparing to add new names to the list of long-term contracts.
Raphinha sits at the forefront of the files Deco has settled. The Brazilian forward officially renewed until June 2028 back in May 2025, but his exceptional start to the season has pushed Barcelona's management to move quickly.
During the club's general assembly last September, Deco announced that Raphinha would extend for two further years, keeping him at Barcelona until June 2030. The official agreement is set to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Why the rush? A stunning attacking start. Raphinha tops the La Liga scoring charts with 12 goals, and has netted 14 in his first eight matches across all competitions.
Deco's project doesn't stop at Raphinha. Barcelona are also preparing to announce extensions for Marc Bernal and Xavi Espart until June 2030. Bernal enjoys great confidence within the club as one of its brightest rising talents, while Espart has caught the eye this season as one of the team's surprises, forcing his way into Flick's plans ahead of other full-back options.
Before the international break, the club settled the future of Egyptian forward Hamza Abdelkarim, who impressed during pre-season under Flick, according to the Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo".
Bayern Munich wanted him and were ready to trigger his previous release clause of 15 million euros. Barcelona moved quickly to tie him down until June 2030, hiking the release clause to 150 million euros in a clear message that they consider him part of their long-term project.
January 2026 brought more of the same policy. Barcelona renewed Fermín López until 30 June 2031, making the midfielder another cornerstone the club is banking on for the future, alongside Lamine Yamal, Eric García and a number of young players tied to long deals.
With the files of Raphinha, Bernal and Espart nearing resolution, alongside Gerard Martín and Brayan Variñas, Deco looks close to closing most of the contract matters within the squad.
Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny remains the only exception. His contract expires next June, after he signed a one-season extension last summer.
Dominik Livaković, by contrast, has signed until June 2030, giving Barcelona a reliable alternative in goal and reinforcing their plan to keep the team stable in the coming years.
Deco, then, is building Barcelona not just for this season. He's forming a team with guaranteed continuity, retaining its stars and talents and giving Flick's project the chance to grow free from the spectre of losing its key cornerstones.