Barcelona are trying everything they can to reduce their wage bill. The Catalans have already terminated Matheus Fernandes‘ contract at the club, with him having played only 17 seconds of football last season.
Then, the club have been trying to do the same with Samuel Umtiti and Miralem Pjanic, offering both the chance to have their contracts torn up so that they can seek new clubs as free agents
In a letter written to both, Barcelona have explained that “given the current financial situation of the club and the salary limit, we’re giving the player the option to terminate their contract with the club and to leave”.
The club are hoping that the pair will be willing to write off the rest of their contracts and instead find new clubs. Pjanic, though, has three more years on his Camp Nou contract and Umtiti has two more to run.
In other words, Barcelona want Pjanic to give up around 50 million euros gross and Umtiti to give up around 35 million euros. Each knows that they won’t be paid similarly anywhere else.
Umtiti is preparing to respond to the club saying, more or less, ‘thanks, but no thanks’, as he’s keen to fulfil his contract for the time being. He hasn’t ruled out an exit, but not until the end of the summer.
The Frenchman is hoping to earn a place in Ronald Koeman‘s plans this summer. He’s feeling better than he has for some time physically and will do his utmost in pre-season to force his way into the first team.
