After having a busy winter window, Barcelona have started to close down their renewals. The idea is to renew the likes of Ronald Araujo, Gavi, and Nico on a priority basis. With that said, Sergi Roberto is also due for a contract renewal.
Image source: UEFA.com
The Barca captain joined the club in 2010 and has managed to establish himself as a key part of the setup. The last two seasons though, the Spaniard has struggled to deliver influential performances and has been on the receiving end of the stick. In fact, this season, Roberto was booed by the Camp Nou crowd when reports emerged that his reluctance to agree to a pay cut was the reason behind Lionel Messi’s departure. In short, the 30-year-old has endured a difficult period at Barca in the last couple of years.
Roberto’s contract is set to expire at the end of this season and it was believed that the Los Cules wanted Roberto to stay as a key part of their project but that seems to have changed now. The negotiations for the Spaniard’s renewal have not even begun yet and the player is of the impression that his current employers do not want him for the next season.
It also came to light a few months back that Barca did offer a revised offer to Roberto with a pay cut and a demotion in his current role; meaning that he would no longer be untouchable in the XI. Having said that, Barcelona have identified Ajax right-back Noussair Mazraoui as their RB for next term.
Sergino Dest was brought in to serve as the long-term replacement of Roberto but the American has struggled to make an impact and he could be on his way out of the club this summer.
Sergi Roberto tells his agents to start looking for other clubs
As per Xavi Navarro, Roberto has asked his entourage to start looking for other clubs, as he could potentially leave the club next summer on a Bosman. The 30-year-old is rumored to be looking for a stint in the Premier League with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City said to be looking to sign him.
Barcelona though, have not considered the talks as ‘broken’ but at the same time, Roberto’s renewal is not a priority for them at the moment. This comes as per Matteo Moretto. The Spanish journalist also understands that the club is yet to decide on the kind of contract they are looking to offer to the veteran.
Noussair Mazraoui is an attractive option for Barcelona
Barca president Joan Laporta is looking to take advantage of his good relationship with super-agent Mino Raiola. The former La Liga champions are looking closely at the Ajax full-back, whose contract expires at the end of this season. Mazraoui joining the club for free is considered to be an attractive market option at the club offices, not forgetting the quality and the potential he brings to the table.
The 24-year-old is the preferred option for the right defensive flank and he was linked with a switch to Camp Nou in January as well. Ousmane Dembele’s failure to agree to a new contract meant that Barca could only sign Aubameyang and Traore in the winter window.
It remains to be seen what happens with Roberto as the player is unlikely to agree to a massive pay cut. This is because he would be getting a signing-on bonus from any club that he decides to join, on a free transfer.
It is an interesting situation for both the parties involved.
