Barcelona heavy-weight defender likely to leave at the end of the season – report

Barcelona are uncertain about Gerard Pique’s future beyond the ongoing season, with the Catalan club said to have already begun their search for a replacement, according to the reliable journalist Oriol Domenech.

Pique, who recently turned 35, was one of the four players to sign a contract extension back in October 2020. As part of the deal, the veteran defender took a temporary salary cut while his buy-out clause was set at a whopping €500 million.

While a lot has been said about his salary, the fact remains that the defender does not really have a lot left in his tank, meaning that the Catalan club need to start preparing for life beyond the eight-time La Liga winner.

Despite being on the wrong side of 30, Pique sees his current contract running until 2024, and Barcelona are said to have already identified a few players, with Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilucueta topping the list, according to SPORT.

There are even claims that the team is already on the verge of finalizing the deal for the Chelsea duo.

Both players are in the final six months of their current contract and are free to sign a pre-contract agreement with a club outside of England. While Chelsea are keen on securing their services, talks with Azpilicueta, in particular, have hit a stumbling block.

As has been Barça’s policy with the players above 30, they are only willing to offer the Spanish defender a one-year deal while the 32-year-old is adamant on a two-year contract.

As things stand, there is nothing substantial going on at the moment, but it goes without saying that Pique is certainly nearing the end of his Barcelona tenure.

With his current contract running until 2024, it remains to be seen how to parties settle on a middle-ground by the end of the campaign.