Barcelona still count on 32-year-old veteran despite letting his contract expire

Sergi Roberto finds himself in a difficult position with regard to his future. The 32-year-old versatile midfielder’s contract with Barcelona expired on June 30 and he has been a free agent since.

There is a contract offer from Barça on the table, but his registration is subject to the club’s Financial Fair Play situation, and as such there are no guarantees over his continuity.

Rumours of Roberto entertaining offers from England have been doing the rounds, but the former captain continues to wait for Barcelona.

Barça still count on Roberto

Now, Jordi Gil of SPORT reports that despite the situation being as it is Barcelona still very much count on Sergi Roberto.

As per the report, Barça and Roberto reached an agreement weeks ago to renew his contract for another season.

The Catalans returned to training on July 10 but the former La Masia graduate was asked not to report by the club. The financial aspect was never an obstacle again, as the player adapted to the economic context of the Catalans.

The contract documents were drawn up pending signature. It was then that the club informed the player that he could not sign it without the assured 1:1 rule of La Liga’s Financial Fair Play and asked him to wait.

Still waiting for Barcelona. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO/AFP via Getty Images)

On the FC Barcelona website, Roberto is still listed as one of the team’s players. Nobody wants to delete him because they count on him and even more so in such a special year as the inauguration of the new Camp Nou.

Manager Hansi Flick also wants players like Roberto in the squad. The homegrown star brings a lot to the team on and off the pitch. In a campaign as difficult as the last one, he managed to keep the dressing room united.

Joan Laporta wants a homegrown player to be the captain on the day they begin to play in Barcelona’s glittering stadium. For this reason, both the club and Sergi Roberto want this whole mess to be resolved as soon as possible.

Doing his own pre-season

Roberto has full confidence in the club’s word and even considered training with his teammates without a contract. However, the club informed him that for legal reasons he could not train.

So Roberto had no choice but to organise his own pre-season. The 32-year-old is in Barcelona training with a personal fitness trainer, waiting in hope that the club will resolve the situation and eventually call him up.