Barcelona obliged to pay a good chunk of €5m fee from youngster’s sale to Girona

In a surprising development, Barcelona are set to pay Girona a specific sum as part of the transfer of Unai Hernandez to Al-Ittihad, according to SPORT.

The talented playmaker is preparing to leave for Saudi Arabia after both Barça and Al-Ittihad reached an agreement for his transfer. The deal will see Barcelona receive €5 million, a sum that will help replenish the club’s finances.

This move seems to benefit all parties involved at the moment. Unai’s contract with Barcelona expired on June 30, allowing him to depart for free, but this transfer arrangement ensures that both clubs receive compensation.

Unai is scheduled to undergo a medical examination on Wednesday morning, with plans to fly to Saudi Arabia the following day. The proposal from Al-Ittihad was an offer that Barcelona could not refuse.

Girona to receive financial boost

As part of the deal, Girona is set to receive a portion of the transfer fee, thanks to a clause inserted when Unai moved to Barcelona from the Catalan club in 2022.

At the time, Girona inserted a clause that would entitle them to a percentage of any future sale, especially given Unai’s impressive season with them before joining Barça.

Unai had performed well at Girona, even training with the first team under manager Míchel, despite still being a young player.

His move to Barcelona from Girona’s Juvenil A team came at a relatively low cost, with Girona securing the clause to protect their interests.

With the deal now finalised at €5 million, Girona stand to receive a significant sum, which could be around €500,000. This payment takes into account the training rights, as Unai spent over seven years developing in Girona’s youth system.

This arrangement ensures that Girona benefits from his development, even as he moves on to the next stage of his career in Saudi Arabia.