Barcelona’s director of football, Deco, has made no secret of the club’s desire to reinforce their creative spark. But few expected the Catalan giants to pursue a 36‑year‑old this summer.
Barcelona Considering 36‑Year‑Old Perisic After Flick’s Nod
Yet, fresh reports confirm manager Hansi Flick is firmly pushing for a shock move to sign veteran winger Ivan Perisic on a free transfer.
Perisic delivered an outstanding campaign at PSV Eindhoven—finding the net 16 times and setting up 11 more in 35 appearances.
His efforts were pivotal in PSV’s Eredivisie triumph, and with his contract expiring, he’s now available to join Barça without a transfer fee.
The connection spans back to Bayern Munich. Flick coached Perisic during their 2019–20 treble-winning season, and clearly remains impressed.
The Spaniard’s unique appeal lies in his professionalism, fitness, and rare positional versatility—he can seamlessly slot in across both wings, either full‑back slot, or even as a central striker .
Barcelona are keen to ease reliance on their dynamic duo, Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.
Deco flagged the need for generational depth in the final third, and Flick believes Perisic’s seasoned presence would bring invaluable cover—and morale—to a youthful squad.
Flick has already shown a willingness to lean on experienced heads this season, having helped coax veteran goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny out of retirement to great effect.
While the club hasn’t always struck gold with such moves—Kevin‑Prince Boateng and Oriol Romeu flopped—others like Luuk de Jong and Pierre‑Emerick Aubameyang paid dividends.
Now, Barcelona appear poised to give it another shot. Perisic, keen to maintain form ahead of the 2026 World Cup, reportedly welcomes the move.
And with Flick’s backing, what seemed a sentimental reunion could evolve into a calculated boost to Barca’s Champions League ambitions next season.
