0
0
Pau Cubarsi Transfer News
Barcelona is negotiating a contract extension for their promising young centre-back Pau Cubarsi.
The 17-year-old’s current contract expires in the summer of 2026, but Barcelona intends to enhance it and give him first-team status as soon as feasible. The defender is still on an academy contract with a €10 million release clause (£8.5 million; $10.6 million at current prices) – a common number among La Masia players.
Barcelona want to raise this figure to €1 billion, as they did with 16-year-old striker Lamine Yamal’s new three-year contract in October.
Cubarsi wants to stay with the club, and there are no fears about his future. His rejection of earlier offers indicates that he is a lifetime Barcelona supporter who wants to succeed with the team.
More than a year ago, Manchester City expressed interest in Cubarsi. Scouts regarded him as a player who would fit in into the club’s style of play.
Due to Brexit restrictions prohibiting English clubs from acquiring international players under the age of 18, the City Football Group intended to have Cubarsi play for Girona as a stepping stone before transferring to Manchester. Cubarsi was born near Girona and had previously represented their junior teams before joining Barcelona in 2018.
However, the player and his camp chose to stay. Aside from Pau Cubarsi being a boyhood supporter, they could see a road to first-team football at Barcelona.
That process was accelerated at the start of the season when Cubarsi was promoted from the youth divisions to the reserve team that competes in Spain’s third tier, Barcelona Atletic, formerly known as Barca B.
Pau Cubarsi decides on Barcelona’s future despite Premier League interest
Cubarsi was unfazed by the move up, as he has been since winning a regular role in Xavi’s first team after making his La Liga debut on January 17, the day before his 17th birthday.
He has already made 16 appearances for Barcelona. His performance against Paris Saint-Germain in last week’s Champions League quarter-final first leg was the latest illustration of his exceptional talent for such a young player. In March, he also made his senior international debut for Spain.
One major difficulty remains: Barcelona will need to increase their salary ceiling in order for Cubarsi’s new deal to be formally recognized by La Liga.
The club is unable to register new players due to exceeding wage limits set by the competition organizer.
One major issue remains: Barcelona’s salary cap must be raised before Cubarsi’s new deal is legally acknowledged by La Liga.
Both Barcelona and Cubarsi’s team expect that a new agreement gets finalized. According to club insiders, his new deal could be similar to the one Yamal signed in the autumn.
Yamal agreed to a three-year contract because players under the age of eighteen cannot sign longer contracts in Spain.
According to Barca sources, Yamal has already committed to sign another term when he turns 18, in July 2025.
It is conceivable that Cubarsi, who turns 18 in January 2025, will reach a similar agreement.
Barcelona will face PSG in the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal at the Camp Nou on Tuesday night.
