Barcelona hold talks with agents of 4 key players whose contracts expire in 2026: Reports
According to Marca (via Barca Universal), Barcelona have initiated preliminary discussions aimed at extending the contracts of four pivotal squad members. This move contradicts earlier statements suggesting no contract renewals would be pursued this year.
The Spanish sports daily revealed that the Bluagrana have engaged with the agents of four integral players – Pedri, Gavi, Ronald Araujo, and Frenkie de Jong - about contract extensions. The aim of these discussions is to lay the groundwork for new contract negotiations, given that the current agreements for these players are set to expire in 2026.
Given the constraints imposed by Financial Fair Play regulations, any new contract agreements are expected to be finalized and come into effect only in the 2024/25 season. Nonetheless, the club have already commenced initial negotiations to secure agreements with all four players, as they continue their strategic planning for the team's future.
In line with this development, the club have already successfully negotiated new long-term contracts with promising talents such as Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, and Alejandro Balde. Additionally, team captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen has recently committed to the club until 2028.
Barcelona slash Raphinha's price tag as transfer speculations intensify
Barcelona have reportedly set a new asking price for Brazilian winger Raphinha, indicating their intent to transfer him out of the club.
Despite high hopes, Raphinha's tenure at Camp Nou hasn't met expectations, following his €58 million transfer from Leeds United in 2022. He has scored just two goals in nine La Liga matches this season, followed by last season when he scored just seven in 36 league games.
The Catalan giants, grappling with financial constraints, have been open to offers for the 26-year-old as a means to alleviate their fiscal pressures. However, previous attempts to offload him, including a lofty €100 million valuation that deterred clubs like Arsenal and Newcastle in January 2023, were unsuccessful.
Following this, Football Insider has revealed that Barcelona have now lowered their asking price to €70 million. The club harbour a preference for concluding a deal in the upcoming January transfer window, although they acknowledge that a summer transfer might be more feasible.
There is notable interest from several clubs, with reports from Spain suggesting potential suitors include Newcastle, various Saudi Arabian clubs, and Chelsea. It's noteworthy that the Stamford Bridge outfit had previously secured a deal for Raphinha in 2022, only for him to choose Camp Nou instead.
Manchester United are currently in the market for a winger. However, Football Insider claims they are an unlikely destination. For United to pursue the Barcelona winger, players like Antony or Jadon Sancho would need to be offloaded to finance the deal.