Barcelona captain no longer sure of renewal as Deco insists on special clause

In a huge update, journalist Laia Tudel on Catalunya Radio has claimed that Barcelona captain Sergi Roberto is no longer sure about renewing his contract following fresh developments.

Not so long ago, it appeared certain that Roberto would sign a new contract and continue at the club for one more campaign, with his current deal expiring on June 30.

The sacking of Xavi Hernandez and the arrival of Hansi Flick as the new manager appeared to have slowed down the process briefly, but on Thursday it was suggested that the veteran’s new deal would go through.

Roberto’s renewal under threat due to Deco’s clause

However, now, as per the aforementioned report, doubts have crept in about Roberto’s contract renewal.

It is no secret that Barcelona are once again facing problems with regard to Financial Fair Play and as such, they are likely to face some issues with player registrations once again in the summer.

Therefore, as per the report, Barça sporting director Deco is insisting on inserting a special clause in the renewal agreements of some players, including Roberto.

Deco wants to insert registration-related clause in Roberto’s renewal. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

As per the clause, if the Catalans are unable to register the player before August 12, the club can terminate the contract without any legal or financial consequences.

This has now made Roberto unsure about going ahead with his contract renewal, even though the versatile midfielder has always insisted on wanting to continue at the club for at least one more year.

It is claimed that Barça have offered Roberto better terms than his last renewal, but the special ‘registration’ clause inserted by Deco is creating some doubts.

The update from Laia Tudel further states that if Roberto does opt to move on from Barcelona, he has other offers to choose from, including some from Saudi Arabia.