Barcelona working on new deals for Flick’s young breakout stars

Barcelona completed a high-profile summer window with the arrivals of Rodri, Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Gabriel Jesus, Joao Cancelo and the promising Jesse Bisiwu. But the club's sporting department has already moved on to the next phase. Deco and his staff are now focused on improving the contracts of several players who have earned pay rises through their performances and growing importance under Hansi Flick. Most of them are still at the start of their careers.

Marc Bernal renewal talks already under way

Marc Bernal, 19, is one of the top priorities. The club is already in discussions with his agent, Raúl Verdú, to improve his salary. After his serious knee injury, Barcelona moved quickly to renew him: the midfielder signed until 2029, his release clause rose to 500 million euros and the club promised to review his terms if he returned to his best level. That moment has now arrived.

Bernal has re-established himself in Flick's plans and his continuity is not in doubt. The salary increase being negotiated is recognition for a player who, despite his age, already carries significant first-team experience.

Gerard Martín, a regular starter set for improved terms

Gerard Martín, 24, has become a stable presence in the German coach's lineups. His current deal runs until 2028 and includes a 100 million euro release clause. Barcelona wants to tie him down for more years, with a higher salary and a bigger buyout figure to protect his development.

The full-back already knows the club's intentions. There is no urgency because his contract still has time left, but the idea is to reward his step forward and secure his future away from potential suitors.

Xavi Espart and Brian Fariñas: from B-team wages to first-team numbers

Xavi Espart is Flick's clearest bet this season. The 19-year-old signed a contract in 2025 that runs until 2028, but under academy-level conditions. His step up to the first team, including a senior squad number, makes a salary review unavoidable.

His agent also represents Ferran Torres, and Barcelona does not expect any problems in finalizing the improvement. Brian Fariñas finds himself in a similar situation. The 20-year-old was close to joining Girona, but Frenkie de Jong's injury changed everything. Flick decided to keep him, and he now holds a first-team squad number. He is still on B-team wages, and his growing role demands an updated contract. The expectation is that he will sign until 2031.

Hamza Abdelkarim's precedent and Raphinha's situation

The model has already been tested with Hamza Abdelkarim. The 18-year-old striker impressed in preseason and received an immediate improvement to his salary and release clause, along with an extra year on his deal, extending it to 2030. That is the roadmap Barcelona wants to follow with the rest of the young players knocking on the door.

Raphinha sits on a different scale. The 29-year-old Brazilian has a contract until 2028, and Deco has publicly said the club wants to renew him. However, no concrete talks have taken place yet. His case will be handled more slowly, even if the club's intention is clear.

What Barcelona aims to achieve with this round of renewals

Deco's strategy is straightforward: lock down the players Flick has turned into regular contributors before their value climbs even higher. Raising release clauses and salaries is not just a reward for performance. It is also a way to prevent exits and strengthen a young core that looks set to be the foundation of the project for years to come.

With most contracts already extended into the late 2020s, Barcelona is now working to update the numbers so the squad reflects the real hierarchy seen on the pitch every weekend.