Barcelona Shifts Focus to Contract Renewals Under Hansi Flick

The transfer window may be shut, but Barcelona are still very much in competition mode – this time at the negotiating table.

After a summer in which the club landed six major signings – Rodri, Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Gabriel Jesus, Joao Cancelo and highly rated youngster Jesse Bisheo – the focus inside the sporting department has shifted. Hansi Flick has handed bigger roles to a cluster of academy products and young signings, and now the club want their contracts to reflect that new status.

This is the next phase of the rebuild: protect the core, before the market comes calling.

Abdelkarim leads the way

At the front of the queue stands Hamza Abdelkarim. Just 18, he made a statement in pre-season, operating as a pure No 9 and convincing Flick and the hierarchy that he is more than just a prospect.

Barcelona have already moved decisively. Abdelkarim has been rewarded with a pay rise, a longer contract until 2030 and a higher release clause. The message is clear: he is part of the club’s long-term attacking plan, and they intend to make it difficult for anyone to prise him away.

His case sets the tone for what follows.

Bernal’s promise triggers a new deal

Next up is Marc Bernal, 19, one of the youngsters Flick has trusted most. He is already tied down until 2029, but his performances – and the way he has responded to adversity – have forced the club back to the table.

When Bernal suffered a knee injury, Barcelona did not hesitate. They improved his contract and raised his release clause to 500 million euros, with a verbal understanding: deliver on the pitch and the club would come back with another upgrade.

He has delivered. Since returning from injury, Bernal has justified the faith and stepped up in Flick’s rotation. Now the time has come to formalise that promise. Deco has already opened talks with his agent, Raul Verdu, to close a deal that would better reflect Bernal’s new standing in the squad.

Martin’s status to be reinforced

Gerard Martin, 24, is another player Flick leans on regularly. He is under contract until 2028 with a 100 million euro release clause, but Barcelona intend to push that horizon further out.

The plan is straightforward: extend his deal, increase his salary and raise his clause. The club want to reward his progression and, at the same time, shield themselves from future offers. Martin knows exactly where he stands; he is aware of the club’s intentions and of the role they see for him in the coming years.

Espart, Flick’s big gamble, set for a step up

On the renewal list as well is Xavi Espart, 19 – described internally as Flick’s biggest gamble this season.

Espart arrived in 2025 on terms befitting a reserve-team player, with a contract running to 2028. That framework no longer fits. He now wears a first-team number, trains and competes at senior level, and his salary needs to catch up with his reality.

His agent is the same as Ferran Torres’s, but Barcelona do not foresee a complicated negotiation. From the club’s side, the intention is clear: recognise his leap into the first team and lock him in on improved conditions.

Farinas stays after De Jong injury – and now must be paid

The final name on the immediate renewal agenda is Bryan Farinas, 20. His situation shifted rapidly over the summer.

Farinas, under contract until 2028, was close to joining Girona. Then Frenkie de Jong suffered an injury, and Flick stepped in. The coach chose to keep Farinas, hand him a first-team number and integrate him into the senior squad.

One thing did not change: his pay packet. He remains on a reserve-team salary, badly out of sync with his current responsibilities. That will not last. Barcelona plan to extend his deal until 2031 and adjust his wages to match his upgraded role.

From the outside, the headlines belong to the likes of Rodri, Gordon or Gabriel Jesus. Inside the club, though, another battle is under way: securing the futures of Abdelkarim, Bernal, Martin, Espart and Farinas before Europe’s predators start circling.