Barcelona will not be in financial conditions to be able to strengthen in the next winter market.
According to Barcelona president Joan Laporta the Catalan club is tight by the financial ‘fair-play’ of UEFA, so it should not go to the market in January.
Laporta has indicated that the situation is so delicate that Barca may even have to apply the same policy when the summer market arrives, as the club will not have the salary margin to hire any more players.
“We had to make some levers, which were economic operations that saved the club from ruin, and now the club is in economic recovery,” Laporta said.
“But despite that, according to the rules of financial fair play of the Spanish league, we can not sign.” Laporta added.
The situation may change if Sergio Busquets leaves, something that, if it happens, will only happen at the end of the season.
However, Barcelona’s priority will be to renew contracts with some of its players, such as Alejandro Balde, Ronald Araújo and Inaki Pena; already the contracts of Marcos Alonso and Ousmane Dembele should be reviewed at the end of the season.
“Us and some other LaLiga clubs are also trying to convince LaLiga to be more flexible, and allow us other types of interpretations that can make Barcelona even stronger,” Laporta said.
Barcelona recorded a profit of €98 million for the 2021-22 financial year, it said in September. The club sold a 49% stake in Barca Studios and 25% of its domestic broadcast rights for more than €700 million in order to cover losses and stick to LaLiga’s financial fair play rules.
That allowed Barca to spend more than €150 million in the close season on Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde.
Barcelona currently leads the Spanish league with 37 points, two more than rivals Real Madrid; the team led by Xavi Hernandez is also in the Europa League playoffs, where they will face Manchester United.
