Report: Barcelona captain refuses contract renewal offer

Barcelona’s third captain Sergi Roberto has been negotiating a new contract with the Spanish club for the past few weeks. Though the renewal at firsts seemed to be a mere formality, disagreements over the extent of the wage cut have stalled talks.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the La Masia graduate has not accepted Barcelona’s latest official contract renewal offer.

The player reportedly met up with club president Joan Laporta on Tuesday personally to discuss other terms of the contract. In the past too, Roberto has rejected the club’s proposal because his entourage felt that the wage cut was too steep.

Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba accepted wage cuts and deferred payments earlier this month, helping the Catalan club register some players who were yet to be officially registered. As it stands, Roberto is the only captain remaining to accept a slasher in salary.

The midfielder wants to stay at Barcelona and has made his intention to stay clear on many occasions. However, he wants to feel valued.

If the Spaniard fails to strike an agreement with the Blaugrana, there are said to be several clubs interested in his signing.

This season, the player has seen a change in position. Roberto was largely deployed as a right-back in the past. However, with Sergino Dest taking over the defensive position, the Spanish international is now playing in midfield.

In his new position, the 29-year-old has had a blistering start. Two goals and an assist in three games make him one of the most valuable players of the season so far.