Royal Antwerp FC has secured the signing of Spanish defender Alvaro Cortes from FC Barcelona. The 21-year-old player signed a four-season contract with the Belgian club.
FC Barcelona confirmed the agreement through an official tweet. "Belgian club Royal Antwerp Football Club and FC Barcelona have reached an agreement for the transfer of Álvaro Cortés.", the statement read. The Catalan club will receive approximately 3.5 million euros for the transfer and has secured a significant sell-on percentage.
Coach Marvin Compper had indicated he needed additional squad depth. The arrival of Cortes addresses that need. The young Spaniard came through Barcelona's youth system and even debuted for the first team. He was spotted in the stands during Sunday's match against STVV.
Antwerp started the season with wins against SK Beveren and KV Kortrijk, followed by a comeback victory against KRC Genk. The recent 1-4 loss to STVV, however, showed the fragility of the young team. The club currently sits ninth in the Jupiler Pro League with 7 points from 4 games. They have scored 10 goals and conceded 9, giving them a +1 goal difference.
The transfer period was challenging for Antwerp due to delays related to a takeover. Several transfers were consequently delayed. The new coach was announced just before the competition started. The early season success is therefore described as fragile.
With the arrival of Cortes, the club appears to have secured an important reinforcement. The defender is expected to contribute immediately to stability at the back. Fans can view the full squad on our squad page.
The agreement between Antwerp and Barcelona has a total value of approximately 3.5 million euros. That amount goes to the Spanish club. Additionally, Barcelona negotiated a substantial percentage of any future sale. This is a common clause in transfers of academy players from top clubs.
For Antwerp, the investment represents a strong commitment to a young player with potential. The club hopes Cortes develops quickly and increases in value over time. The current league situation can be followed on our standings page.
Attention now shifts to the pitch. Antwerp trails league leaders Charleroi by five points in the title race. The next challenge is an away match against Standard Liege on September 5, 2026. Standard currently sits fifth in the table.
The match against Standard will be an important test for the strengthened Antwerp. All upcoming fixtures can be found on our fixtures page. Alvaro Cortes has signed a contract that binds him to the Bosuil until the summer of 2030.
