Barcelona already working on renewing three teenage breakout stars – report

Barcelona already working on renewing three teenage breakout stars – report FC Barcelona closed the summer transfer window on Tuesday with several new signings while also bidding goodbye to a number of players from the senior team as well as the youth setup. With the window now closed, sporting director Deco now has a clear picture of the club’s Financial Fair Play situation. Now, the sporting department can turn its attention to another priority: securing the futures of several key young players. Barcelona deliberately avoided opening renewal negotiations while the market was open, with the focus being on completing their transfer operations. That changes now. Indeed, according to MARCA , the Catalans’ immediate priority is to renew the contracts of three teenage starlets: Marc Bernal, Hamza Abdelkarim and Xavi Espart. Talks have already begun with Bernal Barcelona have already made contact with Bernal’s camp. Deco met the midfielder’s agent in August , shortly after the club completed the signing of Rodri. The purpose of that meeting was twofold. Firstly, Barça wanted to make it clear that Rodri’s arrival would not halt Bernal’s development. The club retain enormous confidence in the young midfielder. New deal incoming for Bernal. (Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images) Secondly, Deco used the meeting to present a proposal to improve and extend Bernal’s contract. Barcelona want to add two further years to Bernal’s current contract, which runs until 2029. His financial terms would also be improved in recognition of his excellent performances. The Blaugrana are keen to avoid any uncertainty over Bernal’s future, given that numerous teams would be willing to pay a significant fee for a player of his quality and potential. Abdelkarim’s rapid rise Meanwhile, Hamza Abdelkarim is another player whose contract Barcelona want to improve as soon as possible. The Egyptian forward’s development has been remarkable. At the end of last season, Barcelona exercised their permanent purchase option after the 18-year-old was included in Egypt’s World Cup squad. He made a number of appearances in the United States and impressed, before taking another step forward during pre-season with Barcelona, where he finished as the team’s top scorer. Barcelona want to increase Hamza’s release clause. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images) Abdelkarim’s continued progress has made his current €15 million release clause look increasingly outdated. Deco therefore plans to improve the striker’s contract and increase the clause to €150 million , with a meeting already taking place with his agent earlier this week. Xavi Espart: one of the revelations The third player in line for a new deal is Xavi Espart. The academy graduate was one of the standout performers of pre-season and has continued to impress during the opening matches, establishing himself at left-back. Barcelona now want to reward his performances with improved terms. Espart’s current contract runs until 2028, but the club do not want to wait before addressing his situation. After his rapid emergence over the past few months, Barcelona are determined to ensure that one of their latest academy success stories remains firmly tied to the club.