Barcelona reportedly hope to ward off Manchester United interest in one of their star defenders by offering him a lucrative contract renewal.
The 2023-24 campaign has been a breakthrough one for 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi, who has quickly become a cornerstone of Xavi's backline thanks to a string of solid performances.
Cubarsi was on the fringes of the team in the first half of the season, but since providing an assist on his debut against Unionistas in the Copa del Rey in January, he has come on leaps and bounds.
The 2007-born defender has now made 18 first-team appearances for the Blaugrana, starting 12 games in La Liga and playing his part in seven clean sheets for the reigning champions.
In addition, Cubarsi played the full 90 in both legs of Barcelona's Champions League quarter-final exit to Paris Saint-Germain, and he earned his first two senior Spain caps in a pair of friendlies with Brazil and Colombia last month.
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Barcelona prepare 'galactic' Cubarsi renewal
Cubarsi's meteoric rise at such a young age has naturally led to speculation over a potential Premier League move, as Manchester United are thought to have taken an interest in signing him this summer.
The centre-back's current deal only runs until the summer of 2026, as his age meant that he could not be tied down for longer than three years, and his release clause is supposedly set at a modest €15m (£12.7m).
However, AS claims that Barcelona are now planning to reward Cubarsi with a new long-running deal that would see his salary increase by the year, although he could not sign it until his 18th birthday next January.
Cubarsi's renewal would supposedly be a five-year agreement with a starting annual salary of €4m (£3.4m), which would increase per year to €12m (£10.2m) per annum for the final year of his deal.
The rising salary would give Cubarsi a major incentive to stay loyal to Barcelona for the duration of his contract, which would also include a release clause of at least €500m (£423.2m), reflecting his status as one of the jewels in the Blaugrana crown.
What other centre-backs can Man United target?
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Cubarsi is believed to be one of five non-transferable players at Man United alongside Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi and Mikayil Faye, forcing Man United to look elsewhere in their search for defensive reinforcements.
Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans appear to be heading for the exit door this summer, when their contracts run out, while Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof's long-term futures are not clearly defined either.
In terms of Premier League-proven defenders, Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite remains high on the Red Devils' shortlist, but they could struggle to prise him away from Goodison Park if the Toffees avoid relegation to the Championship.
As a result, a cheaper alternative in the shape of Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo, supposedly available for around £40m this summer, while Sporting Lisbon's Goncalo Inacio is another much-coveted target.
Ben Knapton
