Barcelona are in talks over a contract extension for their exciting young centre-back Pau Cubarsi.
The 17-year-old’s current deal expires in the summer of 2026, but Barca plan to improve it and grant him first-team status as soon as possible. The defender is still on an academy contract that includes a €10million release clause (£8.5m; $10.6m at current rates) — a standard figure among La Masia talents.
Barcelona plan to raise this to €1billion — as they also did with 16-year-old forward Lamine Yamal’s new three-year contract in October.
Cubarsi’s desire is to stay at the club and there are no concerns about his future in that regard. He is a life-long Barca fan and wants to succeed at the club — as he has proved by rejecting offers in the past.
Over a year ago, Cubarsi was the subject of interest from Manchester City. Scouts identified him as a player that would fit straight away into the club’s style of play.
Brexit regulations on English clubs signing foreign players under the age of 18 meant the City Football Group planned to have Cubarsi play for Girona as a stepping stone before moving to Manchester. Cubarsi was born near Girona and had already played for their youth teams before joining Barca in 2018.
However, the player and his camp decided to stay. Aside from Cubarsi being a boyhood fan, they could envisage a pathway to first-team football at Barcelona.
That path was accelerated at the beginning of this season as Cubarsi was promoted from the youth ranks into the reserve side that competes in Spain’s third tier — Barcelona Atletic — previously known as Barca B.
Cubarsi was totally unfazed by the step up — just as he has been since earning a regular spot in Xavi’s first team, following his La Liga debut in January, the day before his 17th birthday.
He has now made 16 Barca appearances. His performance against Paris Saint-Germain in last week’s Champions League quarter-final first leg was the latest example of his remarkable talent for a player of such tender years. In March, he also made his senior international bow with Spain.
One potential complication remains, as Barcelona will have to improve their salary limit for Cubarsi’s new contract to be officially recognised by La Liga.
As the club are currently spending more than they are allowed to on wages, the competition body will not allow them to make any new player registrations.
However, because Cubarsi is already registered according to the terms of his current academy contract, this would not have an affect on his immediate availability.
Both Barcelona and Cubarsi’s camp are confident that a new deal will be signed. Club sources told The Athletic that his new contract could follow the formula that saw Yamal extend in the autumn.
Yamal signed a three-year deal as, according to Spanish law, a player under the age of 18 cannot sign a longer contract. However, Barca sources say everything is already agreed for Yamal to put pen to paper on a longer extension as soon as he turns 18, in July 2025.
A similar agreement is now expected to be reached with Cubarsi, who turns 18 in January 2025.
Barcelona host PSG in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Camp Nou on Tuesday night.
(Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)
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