Left-back Jordi Alba decided to leave Barcelona despite having a contract until the summer of 2024.
According to El Mundo Deportivi, Barca and Alba came to a decision to terminate the contract ahead of time . The 34-year-old defender is free to find a new destination in this summer transfer window. Spanish media reported that Atletico Madrid are interested in Alba’s case .
Alba has 11 years with Barca, playing 458 matches, scoring 27 goals and contributing 99 assists. He and the Catalan team won 18 titles, including 6 La Liga, 1 Champions League in 2014/15 season and many other big and small titles.
In the season 2022/23, Alba made 29 appearances in all competitions and scored 2 goals for Barca . The promotion of young defender Alejandro Balde made Alba no longer able to play regularly.
Also this season, Alba is the third veteran to leave Barca after Pique and Sergio Busquets. The Camp Nou team has to cut the salary fund by saying goodbye to many high-paid veterans to balance the salary fund before the 2023/24 season.
Relevo said Alba decided to give up the money Barca owed him before leaving. Previously, Busquets and Alba were among the players who repeatedly accepted salary reductions to support the club through the pandemic in the 2021/22 season.
Alba joined Barca in the summer of 2012 for a fee of 14 million euros. He became the team’s top defender for many years thanks to his all-round defensive ability. Before going to the Camp Nou to play, Alba played for Cornella, Gimnastic and Valencia.