Villarreal lift release clauses by €10m for final week as Pape Gueye’s price rises to €50m | OneFootball

Villarreal have moved to protect their squad by activating a mechanism that lifts first-team release clauses by €10 million in the final week of the summer window, from Wednesday 26 August to 23.59 on Tuesday 1 September, El Periódico Mediterráneo reports.

The measure is designed to deter late raids that would leave little time to source replacements. The club enter the final stretch from a position of strength and see no financial need to sell, with only especially beneficial offers to be considered.

Midfielder Pape Gueye is drawing the most attention. His release clause is €40 million and will rise to €50 million in that final week. His displays for Villarreal and Senegal have made him one of the club’s most valuable assets.

Everton and other English clubs have asked about his situation, with interest also from Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. L’Equipe reported last Friday that Al Ahli are keen, though Villarreal have yet to receive a formal offer, with only enquiries and suggestions well below the €40 million clause.

Villarreal’s stance is firm, Gueye will not leave for a bid far from his contractual value. The club would only study a proposal that meets the clause or, via a high fixed fee plus achievable add-ons, comes close. The automatic €10 million uplift applies to every first-team player, making any last-minute exit markedly more expensive.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”