How much Pique's retirement has freed up for Barcelona in January

FT Desk

• 5 Nov 2022 13:23 GMT
• 3 min read

Gerard Pique will make his final appearance at Camp Nou on Saturday before calling time on his glittering Barcelona career. How much money will his retirement free up for the Blaugrana?

Pique has won eight La Ligas and three Champions Leagues since returning to childhood club Barcelona from Manchester United in 2008, but at 35 he has slipped out of former teammate Xavi's first-team plans.

With a gross salary of €29.5 million per year, the centre-back only has two players who earn more than him at Barcelona: Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets, the latter of whom is expected to follow Pique out of the club at the end of his contract next summer.

READ: How Pique's retirement affects Frenkie de Jong's transfer plans

Barca now have four players in Pique's position they use more often than him in Eric Garcia, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen and the now-injured Ronald Araujo, and the long-time Spain international went public about leaving Barca mid-season on Thursday.

Marca reported this week that Pique's decision would save Barca €50 million, but when it comes to calculating how much more money the Catalan giants can spend on wages in the January transfer window, the headline-grabbing figure is revised down to €15m, according to AS.

Xavi: 'spectacular greatness'

In any case, it is a huge gesture from the player who first joined Barcelona as a 10-year-old in 1997, and Xavi has been effusive about a player he considers one of the greatest of all time in his position.

READ: Xavi announces Barcelona's January transfer priority

"Pique is a player who still has a contract and who could have continued at the club, so his gesture shows spectacular greatness," he said ahead of the Almeria game, Pique's last at what will be a packed out 99,354-capacity Camp Nou.

"Pique is brave, a winner, a great teammate, and a very intelligent person. He has been a great captain for Barca. Gerard can be president of Barca, and he can be whatever he wants, because he has plenty of capacity and leadership, no doubt."