Barcelona owe €38 million to Spanish defender, putting pressure on him to leave

Over the last few seasons, Barcelona had deferred the salaries of several players in the team due to financial problems. This included the highest earners in the team, like Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, and Jordi Alba among others.

Upon retiring, Pique decided to give up the money owed to him by Barcelona in deferred wages. However, it seems unlikely that others will follow down this route, and understandably so.

According to a report by SPORT, for example, Barcelona have to pay €38 million to Jordi Alba the next season. This includes his current salary and the one that was deferred during and after the pandemic.

As such, Barcelona are putting pressure on him to leave, either on loan or a permanent transfer.

Alba, though, has no intention of moving away from Barcelona – temporarily or permanently. He wants to fulfil his contract, which expires in the summer next year.

Barcelona tried to push out Alba in the summer of 2022 when an offer from Inter Milan was on their table. The Spaniard refused to leave then, too, even though he knew his starting spot in the XI was going to be taken by Alejandro Balde.

Despite not playing a ‘starting’ role for Barcelona this season, though, Alba has grown into a leader, guiding Balde and the younger players in training.

“I know what I am as a player, what I have given, and what I can give. I feel strong, when you feel good mentally and physically, everything is easier. I’m a better player now than I was ten years ago,” Alba said in an interview last month.

Xavi, too, is happy with how the defender has adapted to his new role.

Alba turns 34 in a week, and is not getting younger. He is still one of Barcelona’s best creators, having created a whopping nine big chances in the league, while averaging 1.7 key passes per game.