Pique extends contract with Barcelona until 2022

Spanish defender Gerard Pique reached an agreement to extend his contract with Barcelona until June 2022, the Catalan football club announced on Thursday.

The contract increased the buyout clause to 500 million euros ($612 million), reports Efe.

"FC Barcelona and player Gerard Pique have reached an agreement to renew the player's contract through to 30 June 2022," Barça said in a statement.

"In the coming days the club will announce the date of the official signing of the new contract," which will keep the player, who rose from Barça's youth ranks, for the rest of the current season and the next four years.

Pique first joined Barcelona aged 10, spending most of his career there, except for the brief stint playing for Manchester United and Zaragoza, before he returned to the Catalan cub, with which, to date, he has played 422 games.

The 30-year-old returned in 2008 to Barcelona and has become one of the team's mainstays, first with Pep Guardiola, and later with the coaches who have always relied on him.

The defender has won all possible trophies with the Blaugrana: three Champions Leagues, six La Liga titles, five Copa del Rey, five Spanish Super Cups, three European Super Cups and three Club World Cups.

--IANS

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