BARCELONA have slapped a staggering £439million buy-out clause on Samuel Umtiti.
The French defender was a transfer target for Manchester United, who had been willing to offer him a huge wage increase.
However, he ended all speculation by penning a new deal until 2023.
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In Spain, all players have a buy-out clause included in their contracts by law, and Barcelona were caught out last summer when Paris Saint-Germain stumped up the £198million needed to sign Neymar.
And they moved to ensure the same would not happen with Umtiti, by making his fee an incredible £439m.
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Despite the ruling, it is very rare that a club meets a player’s buy-out clause, as it is normally set so high.
But the Neymar incident set a precedent and clubs across La Liga want to ensure they are not caught out.
Lionel Messi penned a new contract last summer, but the buy-out clause was then deemed to have been set to low.
It led to several rumours he had not actually extended his contract.
And, in November, he signed another new deal, with a buy-out clause set at an astonishing £626m.