Barcelona extend Cubarsí deal to ’27 with €500m release clause

Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsí has signed a new contract until 2027, with his release clause rising to €500 million ($536m), the club said on Thursday.

Cubarsí, 17, only agreed his first professional contract with Barça last year, but his emergence in the first team in 2024 accelerated the need for the club to agree a new deal with the centre-back.

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Sources told ESPN in January that a host of Premier League clubs were circling due to his previous terms including a release clause of around €10m ($10m).

However, sources were always confident about the prospect of Cubarsí remaining with the Catalan club, adding that his new deal reflects his new status in the squad.

Cubarsí made his first team debut in January while he was still just 16 and has since established himself as a regular alongside Ronald Araújo in the middle of the back four ahead of Iñigo Martínez and Andreas Christensen, who has been pushed into midfield.

To date, he has made 20 appearances for the club in all competitions, earning the MVP award in the Champions League round-of-16 win against Napoli in March.

Sources close to the coaching staff have detailed the maturity and bravery, especially on the ball, Cubarsí has played with since his debut.

His performances for Barça have led to two caps for Spain as well. He is expected to be part of the squad at the European Championship in Germany this summer.

Cubarsí first joined Barça in 2018 as an 11-year-old after spending four years at Girona.

He has since progressed through the club’s La Masia academy and only made his Barça Atlétic debut earlier this season before beginning to train regularly with the first team.

He is one of several youngsters to breakthrough under Xavi this term, with Lamine Yamal (16), Hector Fort (17) and Marc Guiu (18) among the others to have made an impact this season.