Four senior Barcelona players have signed new contracts which include a temporary salary reduction because of the impact of coronavirus.
The signings is a big win for embattled Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu as they bat back criticism that he and the board have lost the dressing room. That Bartomeu was able to get Pique and ter Stegen to sign new deals with club is a big win for him.
Long-serving centre-back Gerard Pique, keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, defender Clement Lenglet and midfielder Frenkie de Jong have extended their deals.
Pique, 33, is now contracted until June 2024 with a 500m euro buyout clause. Lenglet and De Jong have extended until 2026, while Ter Stegen is now tied to the club until 2025.
Spain defender Pique is in his 13th season with the Nou Camp club and has made 548 appearances.
According to a statement on Barcelona’s official website, his extension is “subject to the player making a certain number of appearances from the 2021-22 season”.
“These agreements have been reached following weeks of negotiations and include a temporary salary adjustment due to the current circumstances brought about the Covid-19-induced crisis,” the statement added.
Germany international Ter Stegen’s new deal will take him past a decade with the La Liga giants and also includes a buyout clause of 500m euros.
France centre-back Lenglet has a buyout clause of 300m euros, while that of Netherlands midfielder De Jong, who has started every game under manager Ronald Koeman this season, stands at 400m euros.