Report: Barcelona to shield youth team players with bigger termination clause in the wake of Guiu’s exit | OneFootball

According to a report from MARCA, Barcelona are stepping up to increase the release clause of youth team players in order to avoid losing them at a small price.

Chelsea are expected to seal the arrival of Marc Guiu in the coming hours after having decided to trigger the forward’s €6 million release clause.

This leaves Barcelona vulnerable in negotiations with the player as alongside the fee, other factors have contributed to Guiu’s move to London, but the release clause has played a decisive role.

This issue arose when Deco took charge of Barcelona’s Sports Directorate. Contracts for players from the club’s youth academy all included clauses allowing them to terminate their ties with Barcelona.

Guiu was not alone in this regard; Pau Cubarsi, Hector Fort, and Fermin Lopez all faced similar situations. Deco swiftly negotiated contract improvements with all of them, recognizing the inherent risk posed by these starting prices for Barcelona.

Problem: Increased market value but lower termination clause

Barcelona does not want to repeat the mistake they made with Marc Guiu. (Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)

Furthermore, the market values of these players were significantly higher in all four cases. For instance, when Cubarsi renewed with a €6 million clause, his market value was already assessed at €25 million according to Transfermarkt.

This placed him in a strong position when negotiating contract extensions with the club. Fermin had a market value of €15 million, while Hector Fort and Marc Guiu were valued at €7.5 million each.

Deco aims to address this situation proactively. Firstly, he plans to increase the release clause amounts. Additionally, he proposes making the termination fees variable, potentially increasing if a player reaches a certain number of appearances with the first team.

Of course, these adjustments must align with the player’s salary, but the objective is clear: to shield Barcelona from the interest of major European clubs eyeing the emerging talents from La Masía.

By implementing these changes, Deco hopes to secure better protection for Barcelona’s young talents and ensure the club retains control over their futures amid growing interest and competition from other European giants.