Explaining the former Barcelona midfielder’s role as an agent, his clients, and the fallout from Dro’s move to PSG
Iván de la Peña has returned to the spotlight in Spanish football following Pedro “Dro” Fernández’s shock decision to leave Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain. The former Barcelona midfielder, now a powerful agent, represents the teenage prospect and has been directly referenced by both Hansi Flick and Joan Laporta in the fallout surrounding the move.
De la Peña’s involvement has reignited long-standing tensions with Barcelona, a club with which his playing and post-playing career has often been uneasy.
Iván de la Peña’s Barcelona beginnings
Born in Santander in 1976, Iván de la Peña emerged as one of Spain’s most technically gifted midfielders during his youth. He came through Barcelona’s academy and made his first-team debut in the mid-1990s, known for his elegant playing style and creativity.
Despite his ability, De la Peña struggled to establish himself as a regular starter and fell out of favour under Louis van Gaal. In 1998, Barcelona sold him to Lazio, bringing his Camp Nou career to an early end.
Reinvention at Espanyol and the ‘Tamudazo’
De la Peña returned to Spain in 2002, but not to Barcelona. Instead, he signed for Espanyol, where he would spend nine seasons and make 179 appearances – more than for any other club in his career.
He became a key figure in Espanyol’s midfield and was fully embraced by the club’s supporters. His most famous moments against Barcelona include scoring two goals in a 2-1 win at Camp Nou in 2009.
He was also part of the Espanyol side involved in the infamous ‘Tamudazo’, when Raúl Tamudo’s late equaliser secured a 2-2 draw that denied Barcelona the LaLiga title. The result is remembered as one of the greatest nights in Espanyol’s history.
Luis Enrique 🤝 Dro Fernández
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) January 26, 2026
Iván de la Peña’s career as an agent
After retiring, De la Peña moved into player representation and co-founded De la Peña & Sostres, an agency that represents several high-profile football figures.
Among his most notable clients are:
- Gavi (Barcelona)
- Arnau Tenas, who left Barcelona for PSG in 2023
- Luis Enrique, his former Barcelona teammate and current PSG coach
- Pedro “Dro” Fernández, recently signed for PSG
The agency’s full client list is publicly available on Transfermarkt.
Previous tensions with Barcelona over Gavi
De la Peña’s relationship with Barcelona has been strained in the past. During negotiations over Gavi’s contract extension in 2022, club president Joan Laporta publicly expressed frustration at the delays.
Speaking at the time, Laporta said: “We cannot understand why Gavi’s agent wants to delay the contract extension. We are still waiting.”
Dro’s PSG move and Luis Enrique link
The controversy intensified when Dro opted to join PSG rather than sign a long-term future at Barcelona. Reports indicate that the youngster met twice with Luis Enrique in Barcelona before the transfer was announced.
The meetings attracted attention due to the close relationship between De la Peña and Luis Enrique, who played together in midfield at Barcelona and remain friends. De la Peña also acts as Luis Enrique’s agent, further fuelling scrutiny around the move.
Hansi Flick’s reaction to Dro’s departure
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick, who had handed Dro his first-team debut against Olympiacos in the Champions League, spoke publicly about the situation and criticised the influence surrounding young players.
“You try to believe in them [youth players] so that they believe in themselves, to help them grow and develop as professionals, but I also know that there are people around them, and I just want to wait until this is all over. If they decide to go to another club, we’ll discuss it and talk about it, but now is not the time,” Flick said.
He later reinforced his stance on commitment to the club, adding:
“This is also what I want to say to the young players at La Masia: we are Barça, one of the best teams in the world. We are giving them the opportunity to train with us, to grow every day alongside the best players in the world,” he explained.
“That’s all I can say to them: we give them the opportunity, we give them our support, we believe in them, and we give them the confidence they need.
“If you want to play for Barça, you have to give it your all, 100%. These colours have to be defended. As for the rest of the players, I don’t want them.”
The comments were widely interpreted as a clear message to youngsters at Barcelona and their representatives.
Joan Laporta on the agent’s role
Barcelona president Joan Laporta also addressed the situation, describing it as “desagradable”, a term that conveys something stronger than merely unpleasant – closer to distasteful or deeply uncomfortable.
“We’ll talk about it when everything is over. He has announced that he will not continue. It’s an unpleasant situation,” Laporta said.
“We will be able to get things back on track as planned. It came as a surprise.
“We had agreed on another solution for Dro when he turned 18, and surprisingly, his agent told us that we couldn’t fulfill what we had agreed upon.
“We will try to end this in the best possible way in the interests of Barça.”
Why Iván de la Peña remains a controversial figure
De la Peña’s role in Dro’s PSG transfer has once again placed him at the centre of debate in Barcelona. As both a former player and a leading agent with strong ties to PSG and Luis Enrique, his influence continues to be closely scrutinised by the club.