Barcelona Move to Tie Down Sylvain Francisco in First Signing of New Era
FC Barcelona are closing in on a pre-agreement with Zalgiris guard Sylvain Francisco as they begin reshaping their squad for the 2026-27 season.
Barcelona are already plotting their next move after a disappointing cup exit, and it looks like Sylvain Francisco could be the first piece of a serious rebuild at the Palau.
The Deal
Multiple outlets, led by Italian journalist Alessandro Maggi, are reporting that the Zalgiris Kaunas guard has a pre-agreement in place with Barça. According to Encestando, the deal would be for two seasons — meaning Francisco would be heading back to Catalonia for the first time in four years. It’s being described as essentially done, with the player having given the green light to the move.
Why Francisco Makes Sense
This isn’t just a signing for the sake of it — there’s proper logic behind it:
- Explosiveness in attack: Francisco brings a level of dynamism that the current Barça squad frankly lacks.
- Defensive energy: Coach Xavi Pascual has been pretty open about the team not being a defensive unit, so adding someone with Francisco’s motor helps on that end too.
- Quality on the ball: He left a brilliant impression in his previous stint in the Liga Endesa, and his time at Baxi Manresa in particular is still talked about fondly by Spanish basketball fans.
- Current form: At Zalgiris this season, he’s averaging 16.9 points and 6.5 assists in the EuroLeague. His 33-point performance at the Movistar Arena back in November — in a losing effort — had the Madrid crowd on their feet. That’s the kind of player we’re talking about.
At 28, he’s also the right age. Barça’s current squad average is nudging 30, with nine players already over that mark — and five of those (Laprovittola, Satoransky, Hernángomez, Vesely and Fall) are all out of contract come the end of June. The squad needs younger legs, full stop.
He Won’t Be Alone
Francisco wouldn’t be the only new face coming in, either. According to Óscar Herreros, sporting directors Cubells and Navarro are also working on bringing in Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot — the Baskonia forward who’s been one of the best players in the ACB this season. He’s averaging nearly 20 points in the league and was immense in the Copa del Rey final against Madrid, finishing with 26 points and a valuation of 32. His contract is up at the end of the season, which makes this one a realistic target.
The fact that Barça are already moving this early — while the current season is still live — tells you everything about how serious they are about getting this rebuild right.