Pedri signs new deal with Barcelona with 1 billion euros release clause

 Barcelona midfielder Pedri Gonzalez signed a new contract through 2026, with the club hoping the teenager can help it recover from the traumatic departure of Lionel Messi.

Pedri has been one of the very few bright spots for Barcelona over the past year, during which a president has resigned and its debt has skyrocketed. Barcelona had to let Messi walk away when it could not pay his wages. Painful losses on the field have followed. "My desire was to remain here for many years, It is true that we are going through a difficult moment, but we are the greatest club in the world and we are going to work this out." the 18-year-old Pedri said after signing.

Pedri is coming off a breakout season, his first with Barcelona after joining from Las Palmas. The playmaker led Barcelona with 53 appearances, helping it win the Copa del Rey. Pedri also became a key player for Spain, helping the national team reach the semifinals of the European Championship and winning a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

His salary was not made public but Barcelona president Joan Laporta thanked Pedri for making an effort to reach an agreement that the cash-strapped club could afford. An exultant Laporta, who at one point in their joint news conference accidentally called Pedri "Messi" said re-signing the teenager was of those days when it pays to be Barca's president.