Barcelona releases Jeremy Mathieu

Barcelona terminated the contract of Jeremy Mathieu on Friday after the defender spent three seasons representing the club.

The news comes after the 33-year-old Frenchman trained with Portuguese outfit Sporting CP earlier in July with a view to a future transfer.

Mathieu switched Valencia's intimidating Mestalla home for the Camp Nou in 2014 for €20 million, but injuries gradually lessened his workload in Catalonia. Last season he mustered 12 league starts, with his most worrisome outing coming in the Champions League when he was promptly dismissed for two yellow cards against Manchester City in October.

Slowed by the effects of injuries and age, Mathieu will now seek what could be his final big contract before hanging up his boots.