Lenglet signs three-year deal with Atlético after terminating Barcelona contract

Clément Lenglet terminated his contract with Barcelona on Monday, which had two years remaining, and subsequently, his signing with Atlético for the next three seasons was made official. The French centre-back, who played on loan at the red-and-white club this season, impressed Cholo Simeone with his performance, prompting the manager to request his continued presence.

The Catalan club does not receive any transfer fee, but it saves a significant amount of money, as Lenglet, who will turn 30 on June 17, had an exorbitant salary of €16 million gross per season. This wage had already been increased, as in the first renewal agreement, his salary rose from €6.7 million to €13 million, making him one of the highest-paid players in the Barcelona squad.

Developed in the youth ranks of AS Nancy, Lenglet made his debut with the first team in 2013 and achieved promotion to Ligue 1 in the 2015-16 season. He arrived in Spain in January 2017 to sign with Sevilla, where he quickly became an undisputed starter in the Andalusian defence. After a season and a half, he signed with Barcelona, which in the summer of 2018 paid the release clause set at €35.9 million.

At the Catalan club, the French defender played 160 matches and scored seven goals, contributing to winning a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey, and a Spanish Super Cup. He then played on loan at Tottenham (2022-23) and Aston Villa (2023-24) before joining Atlético Madrid.

In the red-and-white jersey, he has played 34 matches to date, scoring three goals and providing two assists, while also performing at a high defensive level, which allowed him to return to the French national team under Didier Deschamps in the recent Nations League call-up.