Barça assume it will cost them money to facilitate the exits of Braithwaite and Umtiti

Barça are not having much luck with getting players out of the club. The high salaries of the players has created complications and the club has had to release players like Neto, Riqui Puig and Mingueza for free. In these cases, the professionals accepted the letter of freedom offered, much unlike Samuel Umtiti and Martin Braithwaite. The former has accepted that the club may only pay his salary if he finds a departure, but the striker is looking for direct termination of his contract for the remaining two years, to have free choice of team.

The negotiations with Umtiti have been much more peaceful though the defender is yet to find a team. He wished to return to the French championship, but even Olympique Lyon, who are known to resign players, look unlikely to accommodate him. Umtiti does have some proposals from the Turkish league, Olympiakos have contacted him, but nothing is finalized yet. Barça are concerned because they do not want to pay to terminate him, and even hope that he can bring some transfer money in for their coffers.

With Braithwaite, the negotiations have stalled. The Danish striker is upset because he was not given a chance in the team, and both he and his entourage are waiting passively. Barça believe that he already has an agreement with a foreign club, and he may wait until the last day of the market, looking for a termination allowing him to claim the full salary of his two-year contract.