Barcelona players' release clauses: Are they all worth it? Who is affordable?

#4 Release Clauses that are effectively 'Priceless'

Nobody is prising Lionel Messi away from Barcelona

Lionel Messi: €700m

He may not have the highest release clause in the world (Cristiano Ronaldo has a €1 billion clause), but he certainly deserves one. There were whispers that he had had enough at Barca and was looking for a move away as his contract wound down.

But Barcelona eventually convinced him to sign a new contract until 2021 when he will be 34. The astronomical wages offered would surely have helped, but no one can deny he has earned it.

Sergi Roberto: €500m

With the old guard now in their late 20s and early 30s, Sergi Roberto represents the future of the club. And it is in good hands if Roberto continues to play at the Camp Nou.

Arguably their most versatile player - he has played as a full-back, midfielder, and wide forward - Roberto is the ultimate value player a manager could ask for. A La Masia graduate, he is one of their own and they do not want to part with him at any cost.

Gerard Pique: €500m

At 31, this was probably going to be Gerard Pique's last bog contract in a European league and Barcelona stood by him by with a contract extension that will see him stay at the club at least until 2022.

When Carles Puyol retired, the then-immature Pique has since stepped up and led by example. The opinionated defender is not far from controversy but there's no one better to marshal the defence.

Gerard Pique wants to finish his career at Barcelona

Sergio Busquets: €200m

While the rest of the team around him are noted for adding to the highlight reel, where Busquets excels is in doing the basics right. He's been doing it for years - with the occasional flashy move - and players still don't know how to deal with his passing range and vision.

Having grown up at Barcelona, he too would not have it any other way as the club gave him a contract that would keep him at the Camp Nou until 2023!

Marc-Andre ter Stegen: €180m

Not since Victor Valdes at his peak have Barcelona found a dependable goalkeeper who can quite literally keep the last line of defence intact. How good? They conceded just one goal in the Champions League and 10 this season in La Liga.

Ter Stegen has made 74 saves in the league and in Europe this season and he has a better distribution accuracy than Keylor Navas and David De Gea.

Goalkeepers won't be going for more than €50m yet so a €180m release clause will keep him at the Camp Nou for the forseeable future - unless he fails to extend his contract beyond 2022.