FC Barcelona announced it extended La Masia product Cristian Tello’s contract until June 2018 on Thursday, three years before his previous deal was set to expire. In the major footnote to the deal, the club also increased his buyout clause from €10 million to €25 million.
The deal reiterated Tello’s confidence that he can compete for playing time in a squad that includes Lionel Messi, Neymar, Alexis Sánchez and Cesc Fàbregas, as well as the club’s faith in him. Tello has made 37 appearances over two seasons with Barcelona’s first team, scoring 10 goals, including two in his Champions League debut against Bayer Leverkusen on March 7, 2012.
As many players who are unknown when they make their first-team debuts with the Catalan club, Tello has been impressive on the occasions he has played on the big stage. He can play as a center forward or winger, often with explosive results.
In less of a blowout six months after the 7-1 result over Leverkusen, Tello scored an early goal and added a late assist in Barcelona’s 3-2 comeback victory over Spartak Moscow.
Still, his 18 league appearances ranked in the bottom 10 on the squad among those who played.
The new contract should effectively kill transfer speculation surrounding the 21-year-old winger, who has been linked to Liverpool and a couple Bundesliga clubs, namely Schalke and Borussia Dortmund. Now, the fringe first-teamer for Barça would cost them over twice as much — just to buy out his current deal.
While Barcelona probably did not need to lock up Tello’s services to help the club on the field, it did ensure that it could cash in on him if a club wanted him badly enough. Barcelona produces young stars by the boatload at its famous academy, so the least the club could do is ensure a decent payday if they move on.
Barça’s track record in that area has been superb so far, and it should continue with Tello’s re-signing. With clubs circling the young player, who appears to be more of a luxury than necessity at Camp Nou, re-upping his deal three years ahead of time was a smart piece of business.