Sergio Busquets will leave Barcelona this summer, ending an 18-year association with the club. The 34-year-old midfielder, who joined the Catalans’ youth team in 2005, made his first-team debut in 2008 but has decided to move on after turning down the offer of a new contract on reduced terms.
“The time has come to announce that this will be my last season with Barca,” he said in a farewell video released by Barcelona. “It has been an unforgettable journey. I always dreamed of playing with this shirt and at this stadium and reality has exceeded all my dreams.
“I wouldn’t have believed it you if you had told me when I arrived as a youth player that I would play 15 seasons at the best club in the world and surpass 700 matches. It has been an honour, a dream, a source of pride and meant everything to defend and represent this badge for so many years. Although it has not been an easy decision I think the time has come.”
Busquet, whose 718 matches for Barcelona put him third on the club’s all-time list of appearances, has won eight league titles – soon to become nine – three Champions Leagues, seven Copas del Rey, seven Spanish Super Cups, three European Super Cups and three Club World Cups. Busquets, who retired from international duty last year, holds the record for playing in more Clasicos than any other player with 48 appearances against Barcelona’s rivals Real Madrid.
He could add another league title to his achievements this season, with Barcelona leading the table by 13 points with five games remaining.
His next stop is expected to be Saudi Arabia as talks are understood to be advanced. A report on Spanish TV show El Chiringuito de Jugones said that Busquets has accepted an offer by Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal along with Lionel Messi. Messi’s father has said the Argentinian has not “signed or agreed” a deal.
