Barcelona have confirmed the permanent transfer of midfielder Carles Alena to Getafe, although the Catalans have a number of options and clauses regarding the player’s future.
Alena was born in the nearby town of Mataro and joined La Masia when he was only seven. The young talent developed through the youth ranks and made his debut for Barcelona B as a 17-year-old and his first team debut at the age of 18 just over a year later in 2016.
The rising star continued to play 27 first teams during the 2018/19 campaign but failed to kick in and spent the latter half of the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons on loan at Real Betis and Getafe respectively. His Getafe move has now been made permanent.
The transfer is assumed to have taken in around EUR 5 million, as well as the fact that Alena’s salary has been deducted from the salary cost, which was also an important aspect of his loan.
Alena spent the second half of last season on loan at Getafe / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
Barcelona’s statement confirms that they will receive 50% of future transfer fee if Getafe sells him on. They also retain a repurchase option that could see him return to Camp Nou in the future and a first refusal of any offer that Getafe can receive.
Alena, now 23, played a total of 43 senior gigs for Barcelona. His last games for the club in the second half of last season even saw him carry the legendary number six previously occupied by Xavi.
The day before Alena’s departure was confirmed, Barça sealed the signing of teenage Austrian international freight forwarder Yusuf Demir. The 18-year-old originally arrived on loan from Rapid Wien, but the deal includes 10 million euros to make it a permanent transfer next summer.
Barça have also completed Sergio Aguero, Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia on a free transfer this summer. But financial problems have already seen Memphis accept a pay cut, while the club still has to cut other salaries to comply with La Liga’s salary cap rules.
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