Barcelona Threatened To Rescind Umtiti’s Contract Before It Was Renewed – Report
Written by Patrick Echatah
FC Barcelona and Samuel Umtiti are back on good terms after the defender signed a new contract. Umtiti will earn less per year, but for a longer period of time with the new deal.
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More Details
The original contract had one-and-a-half years left on it, earning €12 million per year for a total of €18 million throughout the contract. Umtiti will now earn €16.2 million over four and a half years, or €3.6 million each year. That means he will have to accept a 10% pay cut throughout the course of the deal.
Greater importantly, the significant reduction in his annual wage means that Barcelona now has more salary cap space. That is, enough to sign new signing Ferran Torres and use him as soon as possible.
Both of these are positive signs for the Catalan club, which has fought to keep salaries under control after profits plummeted following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fans had grown frustrated with Umtiti, who had only appeared on a few occasions since his career had been halted by a catastrophic injury. The club was also becoming increasingly dissatisfied with his failure to find a team willing to take him on loan.
Barcelona was reportedly threatening to unilaterally terminate the player’s contract if he did not agree to find a solution that would allow them to sign Torres.
That move would almost definitely have resulted in a legal struggle. Barcelona may have tried to establish that Umtiti was not adhering to his contract’s basic requirements. It’s a different story whether a court would agree. The court battle could have turned ugly, with both parties battling for years.
In the end, both the club and Umtiti decided to settle things in a more peaceful manner.
Read Also – Bettitude Goalkeeper (Men) Of The Year 2021
Meanwhile…
Spanish giants Barcelona already have a target in mind in the transfer market to replace Neto as the team’s #2 goalkeeper, should the Brazilian move as has been heavily rumored.
Stole Dimitrievski of Rayo Vallecano could be chosen to be Barça’s newest goalkeeper, according to rumors from his native country of North Macedonia.
He began his career in his home country with Rabotnichki before moving to several Spanish clubs. After debuting for Granada, he had a spell at Gimnàstic before joining Rayo.
The 28-year-old has settled in as Rayo’s #1 choice but could be open to moving to a bigger club. That would happen if the ex-Valencia keeper, Neto, finds a new home.
(barcablaugranes)
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