Barcelona veteran ‘almost clear’ about renewing his contract for one more season

With only eight games left to be played till the season’s end, Barcelona have kickstarted their preparations for the upcoming campaign.

One of the club’s priorities ahead of the new season is to extend the contract of Sergio Busquets. The veteran midfielder has been an excellent servant for Barça over the years, having made over 600 competitive appearances for the club.

Barcelona have sent Busquets an official renewal offer earlier in the year. But there are fears that the midfielder might opt to see out his contract at Camp Nou as Barça’s proposal included a massive salary cut. The club are only offering a salary of €7 million.

However, as per the latest report from Gerard Romero, it appears Busquets is ready to renew his contract at Barcelona. The midfielder is ‘almost clear’ to prolonging his stay at the club for another year.

This development comes soon after reports had emerged that Busquets’ future could be linked with that of Lionel Messi and his potential return to Barça in the summer. They were spotted having dinner together last night along with Jordi Alba in Barcelona.

Busquets’ renewal could serve as a major boost for Barcelona, relieving some pressure off their shoulders as far as signing a new midfielder in the market is concerned. The club have considered Ilkay Gundogan as a potential reinforcement, but the player’s €10 million salary could prove to be a problem.

As for Busquets, the midfielder is rated highly by Xavi and his coaching staff. They feel the Spaniard’s experience, coupled with his composure and leadership could go a long way in driving the club in the right direction next season.

However, the veteran is unlikely to stay at Camp Nou beyond the end of next season, especially amid offers from the Major League Soccer giants Inter Miami. Hence, Barcelona must fast-track the process of finding a long-term replacement for Busquets sooner rather than later.