Busquets still bleeds for Barca but is a contract extension possible?

Stuart Telford

• 25 Feb 2023 14:59 GMT
• 3 min read

Sergio Busquets was more vocal than most after Barcelona's Europa League exit at Manchester United's hands on Thursday. Will this be his last season at Camp Nou?

Barca were edged 2-1 on the night by Man Utd, losing 4-3 on aggregate to miss out on the chance of progressing to the Europa League's knock-out round proper.

Busquets anchored Barcelona's midfield at Old Trafford, as he has done for the majority of this season, and he was bitterly disappointed by the defeat.

READ: Al Nassr face awkward Ronaldo repeat with Busquets pursuit

Busquets 'p***ed off'

"We're pissed off," he told Sport. "Because we wanted to continue, but the team's aware of the situation we're in and the processes that must be carried out."

"Perhaps in Europe we need to compete better, but we're on the right track, we're top of La Liga and in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey."

Busquets is in the final year of his contract at Camp Nou, and although head coach and former midfield partner Xavi wants to keep him, no fresh terms have been agreed.

READ: Lewandowski triggers bonus payment as Barcelona's budget has €14m hole blown in it

Barca's Europa League exit will cost them €14 million at a time when La Liga have told them to balance their books to the tune of €200m before the start of next season.

Busquets is the second-best player at the club, meanwhile, his gross pay of €37m a year only beaten by fellow midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

Fellow club legend Gerard Pique retired midway through the season to help save the club, and Busquets might also decide that not extending is actually the best way to help the Blaugrana.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr and David Beckham's Inter Miami have both been linked with moves for the Spanish World Cup winner, and Barca might have no choice but to accept that another one of their club captains has to leave.