Official: Jordi Alba pens new Barcelona deal

La Liga giants Barcelona have this afternoon confirmed that defender Jordi Alba has put pen-to-paper on a new contract with the club.

Barcelona stint

Alba, 29, has been on the books of Barca since 2012, when he joined the club from fellow La Liga outfit Valencia.

And the stopper has since gone on to develop into one of the finest attack-minded full-backs in world football, with his lung-busting runs up and down the Blaugrana's left flank having long-proven crucial to the fortunes of the Spanish champions.

On the back of an uncharacteristic dip in form during the 2016/17 campaign, after which Alba was actually heavily-linked with a potential departure from the Camp Nou, the 67-time capped Spanish international has since gone on to showcase possibly the finest football of his career over the two seasons since.

Alba racked up 2 goals and 8 assists in La Liga alone last season, playing an integral role in Barca's romp to the Spanish top-flight title.

And the Valencia youth product has been equally as productive to this point in the current campaign, notching 2 goals and 9 assists across all competitions, as the near-telepathic connection between he and Lionel Messi continues to grow.

Jordi Alba reacts during the Copa del Rey Round of 16 first leg match between Athletic Club and FC Barcelona. Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images.

Alba staying put

And, as per the aforementioned announcement this evening, Alba's stellar showings in Barcelona's colours look set to continue long into the future.

The gifted stopper has put pen-to-paper on a renewal at the Camp Nou, running until 2024:

📝✅ @JordiAlba
👏 Renewal until 2024!
🔵🔴 #ForçaBarça pic.twitter.com/NeCW13R4IG

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 11, 2019

Alba's new deal contains a hefty 500 million Euro release clause.

Speaking in an interview with Barcelona's official website on the back of committing his future to the club, the Spaniard revealed:

'I am very grateful to the club. It is a very emotional and very special moment.'

'I am going through the best moment of my career, and continuing here was always my aim.'

'I take care of myself much more. I have the support of my family along with the trust of the club and my team-mates. I'm happy in all aspects of my life, and that allows me to play at the highest level.'