After years of loans, doubts, and failed negotiations, FC Barcelona has managed to close one of the longest and most delicate chapters of their recent sports planning: the definitive departure of Clément Lenglet. The French center-back, who hadn't been part of the plans for several seasons, is now history at the blaugrana club.
His destination, as had been previously mentioned, is Atlético de Madrid, where he played on loan during the last season. However, what seemed like a conventional transfer contains several details that explain why this case has been so thorny and drawn-out for the culé board.
an inevitable farewell that brings financial relief
Barça had been looking for a definitive solution for Lenglet for some time. Although he performed well in his first seasons, his role gradually diminished until he became a dispensable player. The loans to Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Atlético temporarily eased the situation, but didn't eliminate the problem: the footballer's high salary.
With this separation, the Catalan club saves nearly €32 million for the two seasons he had left, including deferred salaries agreed upon in previous years. This is a very significant figure for coffers as needy as Barça's.
the "hidden price" of the contract termination
However, the departure wasn't completely free. According to Jijantes, the blaugrana entity had to pay €1.5 million to Lenglet to obtain the definitive letter of freedom. A payment that, although small compared to what the club saves, makes it clear that apparently "profitable" operations come with their own cost.
This way, Lenglet is released from his contract with Barça and can sign freely for Atlético, which hasn't paid any amount for his transfer. In exchange, they have assumed a large part of his salary, which made it easier for the Catalan club to accept the agreement.
a june of strategic departures
Lenglet's departure adds to other operations that have marked this start of the market for Barça. At the beginning of the month, Álex Valle was transferred to Italian side Como for €6 million, while the sale of Todibo to West Ham brought in an extra €8 million, thanks to the 20% capital gain that the blaugrana club had secured at the time.
June is proving to be a key month to free up wage bill, bring in cash, and start defining the immediate future of the sports project. Although many of these operations don't make big headlines, they are vital to be able to register new players.
the full story of Lenglet at Barça
Lenglet arrived at Camp Nou in 2019, coming from Sevilla, for a transfer fee of €35.9 million. In his first seasons, he was a regular starter, with coaches like Ernesto Valverde and Ronald Koeman trusting him. In total, he played 160 official matches, scored 7 goals, and provided 3 assists.
However, occasional mistakes, lack of consistency, and the rise of new talents gradually pushed him out of the spotlight. During the last three seasons, he didn't play a single minute in the blaugrana jersey: he was consecutively loaned to Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Atlético de Madrid.
but the most shocking part hadn't been revealed yet…
Even though there had been talk of savings, termination, and departure, what many didn't know is that Barça had also included an anti-Madrid clause in Lenglet's separation agreement. That is, the player can't be transferred or loaned to Real Madrid or any club that depends on their structure.
A preventive measure that shows the club's mistrust of any unexpected move, and that has even surprised those within Atlético's own environment. Sometimes, the most shocking thing isn't in the numbers… but in what's forbidden.