Spanish press reports have revealed that Barcelona is close to reaching an agreement with one of its highest-paid players to terminate his contract a full year before its expiration date, in preparation for the player’s transfer to Atlético Madrid during the summer transfer window. According to the Spanish newspaper El Nacional, the Catalan club is actively seeking decisive solutions regarding several players who are no longer part of German coach Hansi Flick’s plans, as he clearly begins to outline his new technical project for the next season.
Barcelona’s management is currently prioritizing the departure of players who no longer represent a technical asset to the team, both to generate financial liquidity to facilitate new signings and to reduce the wage bill, allowing the club to register its summer acquisitions smoothly and within regulations.
Related topics
Atlético Madrid, for its part, is actively operating in the transfer market in preparation for next season, during which the team will participate in the Club World Cup in the United States. This represents a golden opportunity for Diego Simeone and his coaching staff to improve on the team’s performance from last season.
The player in question is French defender Clément Lenglet, whose contract with Barcelona expires in June 2026. However, both parties are now considering terminating the contract by mutual consent. Reports indicate that negotiations are not proceeding smoothly due to the player’s high salary, which totals approximately €16 million per year.
Atlético Madrid, impressed by Lenglet’s recent performances, have shown strong interest in signing him and benefiting from his experience—especially with the upcoming Club World Cup, where the club intends to rely on him.
For Barcelona, offloading such a substantial salary as Lenglet’s is a necessary step that will open the door for new deals and improve the club’s financial flexibility this summer. This explains the urgency to resolve the matter as soon as possible.
