The French defender had no offer to leave this winter market and, in this way, Barça assures that he manages to reduce the salary margin and that this allows Ferran Torres to sign up. The extension of the French defender’s contract allows the club to space out in many more months the payments (corresponding to the middle of this season and the next that he had left) that he had pending with the player. In addition to deferring what Umtiti has yet to collect, the plant has agreed to forgive a small part (around 10%) of its base salary. A reduction that, therefore, is different from that made by the captains, who although they deferred 60% of their salary to be able to allow the registration of players like Memphis, Eric Garcia and Kun at the beginning of the season, the part which they forgave was in relation to easily compliant variables.
The extension of the link also includes clauses to facilitate the departure of the player in case any club is interested in buying or borrowing the center. In fact, the reduction of his salary also allows his card to stop being so prohibitive if any team plans to incorporate it as a transfer already in this same winter market. An option considered by both Barça and the player himself. On the other hand, journalist Gerard Romero explained on his Twich channel Jijantes that in 2023 Barça can cut the link and that, if that happened, the Frenchman would forgive the last year of the new contract he has signed.
Although this renewal allows the pending payments to Umtiti to be spaced in five years and it is with a declining salary, which has unblocked Ferran’s registration, but does not open the door to other signings such as Morata. However, it is still a step forward. It is a movement that must be understood with a 100% economic and non-sporting logic. A decision, in the short term, much more effective than terminating the contract unilaterally. The agreement with the footballer’s representative, Arturo Canales, who is the same agent as coach Xavi Hernández and captain Gerard Piqué, has also been played in favor of signing this operation.
It should be remembered, however, that Barça have just renewed a footballer with chronic problems in his knee, from whom he has always refused to undergo surgery due to a bad experience with the operating rooms when he was 17 and playing for Olympique de Lyon. This is the second renewal that Umtiti has signed as a Barça player. The first came in the summer of 2018, when Josep Maria Bartomeu renewed it. Then the Frenchman managed to sign a good salary even though there was a report prepared by Dr. Ricard Pruna that advised him not to make a long contract because he did not have a good knee. In any case, the former Barça president now claims that he never received this report.
It no longer depends on Dembélé
Meanwhile, Ousmane Dembélé is still not renewed. Expanding the French link, however, is no longer a priority for Ferran to sign up. Sources at the Barça club maintain “pessimism” about the possibility of reaching an agreement with the former Borussia Dortmund player and admit that if their representatives continue without lowering their claims, it is “very difficult” to reach an agreement.
As for the case of Sergi Roberto, from the environment of the Reus player they assure ARA that they are still waiting for a proposal from the club to extend the link. The fourth Barça captain, currently injured, had long agreed to a salary deferral similar to that applied to Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, but in order for it to take place he would have to renew a contract that ends this June. In fact, it’s been about a month since the Barça sports leadership and the player’s representatives met. They set out to do so after the Christmas holidays.
Ferran, waiting for the negative
For his part, Ferran Torres did not travel with the team to Saudi Arabia on Monday because he is still waiting to overcome the coronavirus, like Pedri. If they can prove that they are negative between today and tomorrow, they will join the expedition later. The semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid will be played on Wednesday at 8 pm (mainland time). Ronald Araujo, Frenkie de Jong and Ansu Fati are already traveling this afternoon. All three are pending medical discharge.
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