Barcelona willing to terminate 32-year-old's contract if he doesn't find suitors this summer: Reports
La Liga giants Barcelona are reportedly prepared to cut short goalkeeper Neto's contract if they are unable to sell the 32-year-old this summer.
Xavi Campos (via La Transmissió d’en Torquemada) reported that Barca are ready to pay him the remainder of his contract money and release him if they cannot sell him this summer.
(NETO): If Barcelona are not able to sell Neto in the summer, the club plans to give him the letter of freedom and pay him part of the remaining contract until 2023.
🔄 (NETO): If Barcelona are not able to sell Neto in the summer, the club plans to give him the letter of freedom and pay him part of the remaining contract until 2023.
#FCB 🇧🇷
Via (🟢): @xavicampos [cat radio] https://t.co/khJIMcRaPJ
Neto joined Barcelona in 2019 from Valencia for €26 million. He was a regular starter at Mestalla, playing 80 games across just two seasons.
Neto's challenge to become the number one custodian at Nou Camo was always going to be an uphill task. The Catalans have always favored their first-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, which meant that Neto spent more time on the bench.
Neto has made only 20 appearances in three years at the club and a potential summer transfer or a contract cancelation could suit all parties.
Barcelona's transfer operations improving
Barcelona have made a few poor transfer decisions in the recent past. Most of their deals did not work out, further pushing the club into financial dissaray.
However, it would seem the club is re-finding their feet under new president Joan Laporta and new head coach Xavi. The Catalans are unbeaten in their last 10 games across competitions, winning seven of them.
The signings of Pierre-Emerick Aubemyang and Ferran Torres from Arsenal and Manchester City respectively have proven to be good signings so far. They were both on the scoresheet in the most recent win against Osasuna.
Dani Alves' return has also helped, as his experience and love for Barcelona seems to have rubbed off in the dressing room.
Xavi's vision is now being seen as the sole factor in deciding the future of players at the club; something which Neto reportedly does not fit into.
More exits could be on the cards for Barca this summer
Ousmane Dembele is another player who is on the fringes of an exit. Despite showing good form in the last few matches, he has not yet extended his contract at the Nou Camp. As per a recent report from SportsMole, Chelsea and PSG are rumored to be interested in signing him on a free transfer.
Barca are also considering the futures of Memphis Depay, Luuk de Jong and Martin Braithwaite.
Martin Braithwaite, Luuk de Jong and Memphis Depay are all free to leave Barcelona this summer.
— @sport https://t.co/1Hlx49vPNH
The latter two have never fit the role of Barca players and Xavi is seemingly getting tough with players that he feels do not suit his ideas.
Depay, 28, has encountered a somewhat topsy turvy spell at the Nou Camp since joining from Ligue 1 side Lyon in 2021 on a free transfer. He has registered 10 goals and two assists in 19 games so far. He has registered two assists in the last three games despite playing only a total of 40 minutes in them.