Spanish defender Jordi Alba has officially announced his departure from Barcelona.
The 34-year-old footballer has successfully negotiated an agreement with the club to terminate his contract, which was initially set to expire next year.
“FC Barcelona and Jordi Alba have reached an agreement to terminate the player’s contract with the club one year earlier than it was due to expire at the end of the 2023/24 season,” the club announced on Wednesday.
“FC Barcelona would like to publicly express its gratitude to Alba for his professionalism, commitment and dedication, and his ever-positive and friendly relationship with all members of the Barça family, and wishes him every fortune in the future. Barça will always be a home for you, Jordi.”
💙❤️ GRÀCIES 💙❤️ GRACIAS 💙❤️ THANK YOU 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/2pARAdY02j
— Jordi Alba (@JordiAlba) May 24, 2023
Alba has been an integral part of Barcelona for the majority of his 11-year stay since returning from Valencia. However, this season he has lost his place in the starting lineup to Alejandro Balde.
Spanish media reports have confirmed Alba’s impending departure, marking a significant change for Barcelona as they bid farewell to two of their most senior players, with Sergio Busquets also set to leave this summer.
Reliable journalist Gerard Romero has indicated that Alba will forgo around 50% of his expected salary for the upcoming season, which was initially set at €38 million.
Throughout his Barcelona career, Alba achieved remarkable success, winning LaLiga in his debut season and adding five more league titles to his name. In total, he secured a total of 17 trophies, including one Champions League triumph in the 2014-2015 season, five Copa del Rey titles, four Spanish Super Cups, and one FIFA Club World Cup.
