Barcelona are prepared to ‘go to war’ over Danish forward Martin Braithwaite’s contract at the Nou Camp, according to reports in Spain.
The Catalan giants are desperate to get rid of Braithwaite, and with their efforts to sell the player seeming to have failed, they are now considering alternative options, as reported by Spanish outlet Sport.
With two years left on his current deal, Braithwaite has made his position abundantly clear – he will not leave. This leaves the club with little option other than to rescind his contract.
Martin Braithwaite’s refusal to leave the club of his own volition may see his contract rescinded
Xavi insists his side still need to make further signings to be competitive this season
Barca had offered him the chance to leave free alongside the likes of fellow outcasts Neto, Oscar Mingueza and Samuel Umtiti, but the Danish forward’s lack of cooperation has begun to sour his relationship with the club.
Having shown patience with the player over an injury lay-off in January, allowing the player to stay to focus on his recovery, they now appear to be growing tired of his stubbornness.
The likelihood as things stand is that Barca will wait in the faint hope that a club move for Braithwaite before the end of the transfer window before cancelling his contract.
They are also attempting to find an outcome in which they do not have to pay him the final two years of his deal, should they decide to prematurely cancel it.
The 31-year-old arrived at the Nou Camp from fellow LaLiga side Leganes for a £16million fee, after the club were granted special dispensation to make an emergency transfer after the end of the winter transfer window in 2019.
Barcelona are set to pursue legal options to see if they can cancel his deal without having to pay the final two years of wages Braithwaite is entitled to.
Since then the forward has gone on to play 57 times for the club, but has only managed a return of 10 goals and five assists over a three-and-a-half year period, winning a Copa del Rey title in that period.
Braithwaite’s exit is not the only exit up front Barcelona are plotting, with talks ongoing with Chelsea about a move for ex-Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The ex-Arsenal star has scored 11 goals in 13 starts since joining the Catalan giants in January but has now fallen down the pecking order following the club’s £42.5m purchase of Robert Lewandowski.
Chelsea held further talks with Barcelona to negotiate a deal for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Chelsea were plotting to launch a bid for the Gabon striker earlier this week, keen to plug their void in attack following Romelu Lukaku’s loan return to Inter Milan.
Blues boss Thomas Tuchel developed a positive relationship with the 33-year-old forward at Borussia Dortmund and would like to add a proven goal-scorer to his Chelsea ranks.
It is believed Aubameyang is not actively pursuing a Barcelona exit, having rediscovered his goal-scoring touch since his arrival in Spain after his relationship with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta turned sour.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel developed a solid relationship with Aubameyang at Dortmund