Barcelona agree €10m Tommy Marques transfer to Sporting Braga

Barcelona have agreed a deal with Sporting Braga for 19-year-old midfielder Tommy Marques, with the Portuguese club set to pay €10m plus additional incentives for the player.

The agreement brings an end to Marques’ time at Barcelona as the Catalan club continues to reshape its squad before the start of the new season. The deal was reported by The Athletic and follows a period in which Marques progressed into the first-team environment but struggled to establish himself as a regular option.

Marques began last season with Barcelona’s reserve side before being given an opportunity by manager Hansi Flick. However, the midfielder was unable to secure a consistent place in the German coach’s plans, particularly during the club’s preparations for the new campaign.

His limited involvement in pre-season increased uncertainty over his future. Marques played only 28 minutes in Barcelona’s match against Udinese in the Udine Triangular, which ended in a 1-0 defeat for Flick’s side.

The outing came as Barcelona assessed their squad ahead of the return of competitive football, with Marques’ position in the first-team group increasingly unclear. The agreement with Sporting Braga now provides a resolution for the teenager, who had made only two senior appearances for Barcelona.

Marques made his first-team debut in February last year, coming on for six minutes against Mallorca at Camp Nou. Barcelona won that match 3-0.

He was later given another brief appearance at the end of the campaign, entering the field as a substitute for three minutes against Alaves on matchday 36 of La Liga. Barcelona lost 1-0, although the club had already secured the league title before the game.

The move to Sporting Braga will see Marques join a club with a familiar Spanish influence. The Portuguese side are managed by Spanish coach Carlos Vicens and have five Spanish players in their squad.

Those players are Victor Gomez, Sergio Barcia, Gabi, Fran Navarro and Pau Victor, the former Barcelona forward.

For Barcelona, the agreement represents another decision involving a young midfielder who had moved closer to the first team but found opportunities difficult to secure. Marques’ appearances under Flick were limited, and his reduced role during the current preparations made a departure increasingly likely.

Sporting Braga’s willingness to pay €10m, along with potential further incentives, has allowed Barcelona to conclude the player’s spell at the club while continuing their wider work on reorganising the squad before the new season begins.