BARCELONA CAPTAIN GERARD Pique has signed a new contract keeping him at the club until 2022, the La Liga leaders confirmed today.

And it includes a hefty buyout clause of €500 million.

Pique, who played youth football with Barca before stints with Manchester United and Zaragoza, has played over 420 games for the club.

In that time he has won three Champions Leagues, six La Liga titles, five Copa del Reys, five Spanish Supercups, three European Supercups and three Club World Cups.

In a statement on the Barcelona website this morning, the club said:

“FC Barcelona and player Gerard Piqué have reached an agreement to renew the player’s contract through to 30 June 2022.

His buyout clause has been set at €500m.

“The centre back started out in the club’s junior ranks, at the youngest level available at the time — U11 B — and steadily progressed through the different age groups.

He left La Masia in 2004 to move to Manchester United, where he gained experience playing in the Premier League and also in La Liga when he spent a season on loan at Zaragoza.

“In the summer of 2008 he was brought back to Pep Guardiola’s Barca side as a proven central defender.

“His return to the club was a hugely important move, as he has been a key part of the best moments in Barca history to date. The defender, considered one of the best in the world in his position, has won everything there is to be won at club level for the Blaugrana.”

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