Flick backs Barcelona’s Iker Rodriguez for England pre‑season camp

Hansi Flick has elevated Barcelona’s 18‑year‑old goalkeeper Iker Rodriguez by naming him in the club’s first‑team pre‑season training camp in England, scheduled from 27 July to 3 August at St George’s Park as part of the senior squad to prepare for the upcoming season. The move gives the teenager a rare senior‑team experience ahead of the new season. According to Mundo Deportivo, Rodriguez will travel with Barcelona to St George’s Park despite ongoing uncertainty surrounding Marc‑Andre ter Stegen’s future. The German keeper’s loan to Ajax remains incomplete, leaving him in the first‑team training group. Consequently, Marc‑Andre ter Stegen continues to train alongside the senior squad while the club evaluates alternatives. Rodriguez has already trained with Flick during the 2024‑25 campaign, and the coach now sees him ready to take another step as Barcelona prepare for the new season. Flick’s assessment signals confidence in the youngster’s development trajectory.

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The teenager joined first‑team training on Friday and is expected to remain with Flick’s squad rather than linking up with Barcelona Athletic, whose own pre‑season preparations begin on Monday. This decision keeps Rodriguez embedded in the senior environment. Rodriguez is reported to be close to signing a new contract with the reserve team, and his pre‑season programme will stay unchanged despite the delay in Ter Stegen’s transfer.

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Barcelona will hold the England camp at St George’s Park, and Rodriguez will travel alongside senior goalkeepers Wojciech Szczesny and Aron Yaakobishvili, with Joan Garcia joining after his World Cup duties. The collective group aims to build cohesion ahead of the upcoming season. Barcelona’s confidence in Rodriguez highlights a pathway for the La Masia graduate to accelerate his development while providing the senior coaching staff a chance to assess him against experienced professionals. For the teenager, the England camp offers valuable exposure and a platform to stake his claim for future first‑team opportunities.