Barcelona must pay Ronald Koeman a fee of six million euros if it is decided not to keep him in the saddle for a third season, it is reported in the program Club de la Mitjanita by Catalunya Radio. Koeman paid his transfer fee from Barcelona to the KNVB a year ago. A clause in the coach’s contract, which currently runs until mid-2022, would now ensure that he gets this amount back if he is not allowed to stay on for a third season in Catalonia.
Koeman had a permanent contract as national coach of the Dutch national team a year ago, which meant that Barcelona had to pay a lump sum to bring him in as successor to Quique Setién. It was already reported at the time – among others by La Vanguardia – that Koeman would have paid the transfer fee of four to five million euros out of his own pocket, because he desperately wanted to become a coach of Barcelona. However, it now appears that a clause has ensured that Koeman will receive this amount back if he remains at the helm at the Camp Nou for less than three seasons.
Barcelona must pay Koeman six million euros if it is decided to say goodbye to him after two seasons. That compensation is also a lot higher if Koeman is fired before the end of this season. TV3 previously reported that the resignation of Koeman would currently cost Barcelona an amount of twelve million euros, while in Club de la Mitjanita even mention is made of thirteen to fourteen million euros. According to TV3 the reason being that the Barcelona board is not on the same page about Koeman’s near future.
After the hopeless 0-3 defeat of Barcelona against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, there is explicit speculation about the departure of Koeman, while in the days before there were reports about the extension of his expiring contract. Sport wrote that chairman Joan Laporta had unsuccessfully approached Jordi Cruijff to take over from Koeman. However, Cruijff – technical advisor at Barcelona – did not like that and has resolutely answered ‘no’ to the request.
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