FC Barcelona sporting director Deco has confirmed that Raphinha has agreed a new contract that will keep him at the club until 2030, while two La Masia graduates, Marc Bernal and Xavi Espart, are also set to sign new deals. Speaking at the Barcelona Delegates’ Assembly on Saturday, Deco addressed all three cases, though only the Raphinha agreement was described as reached.
Raphinha was under contract until 2028, and the new terms add two further years, taking his deal through to 2030. Bernal’s existing contract runs until 2029 and Espart’s until 2028, and while Deco said both are poised to sign new deals, the primary reporting does not specify what the new expiry dates will be. There is no information yet on fees, salary structure, or any release clauses attached to either extension, as previously discussed in SempreBarça’s coverage of Bernal’s contract situation.
The timing reflects a broader shift in Deco’s priorities since the summer transfer window closed at the start of September. Rather than chasing incomings or outgoings, the sporting director has spent recent weeks focused on tying down players already at the club, a strategy detailed in SempreBarça’s wider look at Barcelona’s renewal plans. Talks between Raphinha and club officials intensified over the past week, with movement toward a positive outcome building steadily before Saturday’s confirmation, echoing the pattern seen with Andreas Christensen’s extension through 2028.
Raphinha, 29, has been in outstanding form this season, scoring a hat-trick in Barcelona’s win over Sevilla to reach 14 goals in eight matches. Bernal and Espart, both products of the club’s academy, have developed into key squad players under Hansi Flick, which made securing their long-term futures a straightforward call for the sporting department.
Deco was direct about the state of the Raphinha talks when addressing club members, according to Sport.
“(Raphinha’s renewal) has been on track since yesterday, we have agreed that he will continue until 2030”
Keeping Raphinha tied down for two additional years, with Bernal and Espart also expected to follow suit, would preserve three players Barcelona clearly regard as central to their plans. It comes at a good moment for the club, arriving during a strong start to the 2026-27 season. Bernal’s and Espart’s paperwork remains pending rather than finalised, but the direction of travel on all three fronts looks settled.