The FC Barcelona board will again request a new economic effort from its players to reduce some 160 million euros of the total wage bill of the first team squad, which currently amounts to 560 million according to the economic vice president Eduard Romeu. The renewed ones (Pedri, Ansu Fati and Araújo) and the winter signings (Ferran Torres and Aubameyang) will be left out of this future negotiation while footballers like Umtiti, Braithwaite, Pjanic, Riqui Puig, Mingueza and Lenglet have been invited to find a way out .
This situation once again places the economic focus on the captains Sergio Busquets, Gerard Piqué, Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto, although the latter is about to sign his renewal for one more year with a reduction of more than 50% of his record. Although they have not yet contacted the captains or their advisers and representatives, the economic area has already prepared an individualized proposal that firstly seeks to agree on a new reduction in its current chips and secondly, to negotiate a reduction in the amount that is owed to them as a result of the various salary adjustments previously agreed and that would be paid to them as soon as they activate any of the economic operations in which they work.
At the moment, it seems impossible that the captains, whose advisors are in permanent contact, accept a proposal that would mean the fourth economic modification in three years. The first was in 2020 when, in the midst of a state of alarm due to the pandemic, the entire workforce accepted a 12 percent salary reduction. The second was in January 2021 with a deferral of 42.9% of their salaries. And a year ago, already with Laporta as president and after the departure of Messi and the transfers of Coutinho and Griezmann, the club agreed first with Piqué and then with Busquets and Alba a 60 percent postponement to be able to register Memphis and Eric Garcia. “We hope that the captains agree to make a new economic effort,” they acknowledge from the sports area, whose motto in the current situation is patience. Xavi intends to strengthen himself in this market to double all positions, including those of veterans, and generate competition. This is the situation of each of the captains.
Promoted to first captain after Messi’s departure, his environment insists that he sees a new salary negotiation “very complicated” given that this year his contract with Barça ends. He also remembers that, despite his age (33), the midfielder is still the undisputed and irreplaceable starter for Xavi, who is not sure that Nico or Frenkie de Jong could be his substitute. The technician pointed out in one of his last press conferences that “Busi is not eternal. It’s important that the club’s planning goes that way”. Busquets, who this year will play his last World Cup, Qatar 2022, does not plan to renew and plans a future at Inter Miami, who knows if with Messi, whose contract with PSG also ends in 2023.
Club sources have the feeling that Gerard Piqué could accept an economic agreement. They are based on the fact that last year he was the first to accept a 60% deferral to receive in the remaining years of his contract. “I did what I had to do,” said the center-back, who already in October 2020 with Bartomeu in the presidency, agreed like Ter Stegen, Lenglet and Frenkie de Jong, in an individual negotiation parallel to the collective one, to renew his contract in his case until 2024. Barça reported that this renewal included “a temporary salary adjustment, given the circumstances arising from the pandemic.” Soccer-wise, the sports area considers that Piqué should prioritize soccer more than his business. Even more so considering his age (35) and that he finished the course injured.
At 33 years old and with a contract that links him to Barça until 2024, the winger from L’Hospitalet, fourth captain of the squad, still has no competition or alternative since he is the only left-handed winger in the first team. Although Xavi values ??him a lot, it is equally true that he has communicated to the club that it is urgent to find an alternative to his still undisputed ownership. International also with Luis Enrique, Jordi Alba does not consider leaving Barça before he ends his relationship with Barça nor a new salary reduction.
His contract ended this June and therefore last August, within the framework of the third salary adjustment of the squad, the club began to negotiate his renewal. There was no agreement and everything seemed to indicate that he would not continue as a Barça player. But although he has not played since October 27 due to an injury to his right leg, he has the support of Xavi, who sees him as a good alternative for the right-back – now occupied by Alves, who remains to be seen if he renews and Dest, who could go out to make cash. The set of circumstances led Sergi Roberto to an agreement to renew for another year with a record reduced by more than half.
