Pedri signs new deal with Barcelona with 1 billion euros release clause

Barcelona midfielder Pedri Gonzalez signed a new contract through 2026, with the club hoping the teenager can help it recover from the traumatic departure of Lionel Messi.

Pedri with Barcelona president Joan Laporta. (Source: Twitter)

Pedri has been one of the very few bright spots for Barcelona over the past year, during which a president has resigned and its debt has skyrocketed. Barcelona had to let Messi walk away when it could not pay his wages. Painful losses on the field have followed. "My desire was to remain here for many years, It is true that we are going through a difficult moment, but we are the greatest club in the world and we are going to work this out." the 18-year-old Pedri said after signing.

Pedri is coming off a breakout season, his first with Barcelona after joining from Las Palmas. The playmaker led Barcelona with 53 appearances, helping it win the Copa del Rey.
Pedri also became a key player for Spain, helping the national team reach the semifinals of the European Championship and winning a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

His salary was not made public but Barcelona president Joan Laporta thanked Pedri for making an effort to reach an agreement that the cash-strapped club could afford. An exultant Laporta, who at one point in their joint news conference accidentally called Pedri "Messi" said re-signing the teenager was of those days when it pays to be Barca's president.

In a sign of the expectations Barcelona has placed on Pedri, his contract includes a release clause of 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion), the highest in club history. Barcelona director of football Mateu Alemany said Pedri's release clause "means he will be off the market for several years."

Pedri signed for Barcelona in 2019 from Las Palmas, a second-division club on his native Canary Islands. The transfer fee of 5 million euros ($5.8 million) proved a steal. At Barcelona, Pedri quickly convinced coach Ronald Koeman that he should be his central playmaker in a similar role to former great Andres Iniesta.

Spain coach Luis Enrique took note and gave Pedri a starting spot in the European Championship, where his precision passing and ball control earned him the award for the tournament's best young player.

@Pedri is the only player to be nominated for the Ballon d'Or, Kopa Trophy & Golden Boy award this year.
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Quick reminder: he's only 18 years old. pic.twitter.com/M2ezHnLjzJ — 433 (@433) October 15, 2021

With Messi gone and no money to make big signings, Pedri forms part of a youth movement at Barcelona along with forward Ansu Fati and Gavi Paez, who recently became the youngest player to debut for Spain at age 17.

Pedri is currently recovering from a left thigh injury. He said that he did not believe the injury was due to the staggering total of 74 matches he played for country and club last season."I am eager to get back out there and make good on the trust that (the club) has placed in me," Pedri said.