Barcelona ‘set to announce’ that Jordi Alba will leave this summer
Jordi Alba will ‘LEAVE Barcelona this summer’ after 11 years at the Nou Camp, according to reports in Spain…with the defender set to follow Sergio Busquets out the door after agreeing to end his contract a year early
- Barcelona announces that Jordi Alba will leave the club this summer
- Alba joined the Catalan giants in 2012 and has enjoyed great success with them
- He will follow Sergio Busquets out the door at the end of the season
Barcelona legend Jordi Alba will leave the club this summer after 11 years at the Nou Camp.
The 34-year-old’s contract with the newly crowned LaLiga champion would not expire until the summer of 2024.
However reports in Spain have suggested that Barcelona will announce Alba’s departure at the end of the season, agreeing to terminate his contract a year early.
Earlier this season there were reports that the club wanted to push Alba out prematurely due to the club’s financial problems.
It marks the end of an era in which Alba follows Sergio Busquets, who will also leave the club at the end of the season.
Jordi Alba will leave Barcelona this summer after 11 years with the Spanish giants
The 34-year-old has won six LaLiga titles and one Champions League trophy with the club
It marks the end of an era in which Sergio Busquets (right) also leaves this summer
Alba signed for Barcelona from Valencia in 2012 for a fee of around £12 million.
During his time at the club, he won six LaLiga titles – including this season – and the Champions League once in 2015.
To date, he has played 458 games for the Catalan side and scored 27 goals.
This season he has seen his playing time cut short with just 13 LaLiga starts in 23 appearances.
Busquets announced earlier this month that he would be leaving Barcelona after 15 seasons with the club.
The midfielder, whose contract expires at the end of the season, had been offered a new contract by Barcelona, but signing the contract would have seen him take a 70 per cent pay cut.
He delayed making a decision as Barcelona have worked in recent weeks to convince La Liga they can afford to re-sign Messi.
Busquets and Messi have an unwritten pact that they will play one more season together before they retire.
There have been reports this season that Barcelona wanted to push Alba out of the club (President Joan Laporta pictured in the middle of the front row)
Alba (right) pictured with Xavi, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Pedro after their 2015 Champions League victory
Busquet’s decision to leave Barca came just 24 hours after Messi’s father Jorge was forced to deny a story that his son had already signed for Al Hilal, suggesting the two players will be reunited in Saudi Arabia this summer.
Busquets has a tax-free bid of around €15 million per season to join the club. Al Hilal is also interested in Alba, whose contract with Barcelona expires in 2024.
Alba would have wanted to see his deal not to lose the €17 million he is due to bring in in his last season, but that would easily be compensated by the Saudi Arabian club.
Busquets and Alba could play their last game at the Nou Camp against Mallorca on Sunday before Barcelona’s final game of the season against Celta Vigo on June 4.
