Barcelona agree deal for second exit of the summer to leave for free to La Liga giants | OneFootball

Barcelona and Clement Lenglet will part ways imminently, after finding an agreement with the French defender to rescind the remaining two years on his deal. The centre-back spent this season on loan with Atletico Madrid.

Lenglet, 29, has been at Barcelona since a €36m move from Sevilla back in 2018, and has won everything available with the Catalan giants in Spanish domestic football, but has fallen out of favour over recent years, spending the last three seasons out on loan. After lengthy negotiations, Lenglet and Barcelona have agreed to terminate his deal.

What next for Clement Lenglet?

Part of the reason for the agreement was due to Lenglet’s desire to continue at Atletico, after a season competing for a starting spot at the Metropolitano. Sport say they set out their stall early that they were not willing to take on Lenglet’s entire salary, and in talks between the three parties, it was agreed that he would leave Barcelona for free, and sign with Atletico on a three-year contract, as per Fabrizio Romano.

Lenglet has given up significant money to sign with Atletico, keen to stay, and Barcelona will save a gross salary of €16m per season. Should the deal with Los Rojiblancos manage to get their contracts signed with Lenglet swiftly, he will be able to play the Club World Cup.

Image via EFE

Lenglet’s Barcelona career

In total, Lenglet made 160 appearances for Barcelona, scoring seven goals and giving three assists. Initially he won a starting spot alongside Gerard Pique, but fell out of favour after two seasons, and then moved to Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa on loan before Atletico. Lenglet won a Liga, Copa and Supercup title with the Blaugrana.

Lenglet’s season at Atletico Madrid

This season has been largely positive on the whole for Lenglet, who made 34 appearances for Atletico. He scored thrice and assisted twice, but like Atletico suffered a damaging month between March and April, in which he gave away multiple penalties in high-profile games. The deal has since been confirmed by both clubs.