Barcelona heavyweights Joan Laporta and Xavi Hernandez to thrash out agreement next week

Barcelona President Joan Laporta and Xavi Hernandez have seen plenty of each other over the past week, as they enjoy the celebrations of the club’s first league title since 2019. Yet they will be swapping the beer and the cava for water next week, as the two sit down for contract talks.

Xavi’s deal expires in 2024, but Laporta is keen to extend that deal and secure his future. Both sides want him to continue, and Sport say that they expect to reach a deal quickly on his future, as Xavi continues to keep the club on a positive trajectory.

This does conflict with an earlier report, which claims that the two are far apart on a deal. In terms of strategy, the two are on the same page, but Xavi is supposedly expecting a major pay rise, having given up plenty of money to come to Barcelona, and delivered on his objective in La Liga. Barcelona were hoping to give him a more modest deal.

It appears highly unlikely that there would be a separation of the two parties, with Xavi in his ideal job, and Barcelona unlikely to consider an alternative until results go south. Nevertheless, the numbers are important these days at Barcelona, and it could create a point of discord between the two if Xavi feels he is not valued.