Barcelona is just hours away from winning its third title of the season. After winning the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey, the league title is now a done deal after beating Real Madrid in El Clásico last Sunday. With a seven-point lead, all they need is for Real Madrid not to win their match against Mallorca on Wednesday to be crowned champions. If that happens, Barça could celebrate by winning the derby against Espanyol on Thursday in Cornellà.
Although the Champions League and the much-dreamed-of treble are still missing from the equation, the truth is that Barça’s season could be described as outstanding after a difficult year under Xavi Hernández. Without a doubt, the arrival of Hansi Flick has marked a turning point that has improved the team qualitatively.
However, while everything has seemed to run smoothly on the pitch thanks to the good work of the Azulgranas and their offensive potential, led by LRL, which has made Barça’s matches a goal fest, off the pitch it has not been so easy with the club’s financial problems looming once again.
The salary cap, Barça’s nightmare
As if it were Groundhog Day, a summer is expected with a transfer market once again conditioned by the economic situation of the Azulgrana team. Last summer, the big names on the market were Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor, who had to take precautionary measures to be registered. A highly questioned decision by the CSD with which LaLiga strongly disagrees.
For the body headed by Javier Tebas, Barça has exceeded the salary cap and therefore cannot register any players unless it reduces its wage bill through departures. It all started when LaLiga questioned the sale of the VIP boxes at the Camp Nou, something that an audit would ultimately prove to be correct. The €100 million from the sale of the 450 seats cannot be counted in this financial year, so it does not affect the current salary cap.
Need to make departures
Given this situation, FC Barcelona’s management is clear that it needs to make several departures during the summer transfer window. With the money obtained, the club will be able to tackle the signings that coach Hansi Flick needs to improve the performance of a squad that, although it has shown tremendous productivity, has several players who are expendable and on their way out.
There are up to nine names on the departure list, starting with goalkeeper Iñaki Peña. The Spanish goalkeeper is set to leave in the summer after being relegated to the sidelines by the arrival of Szczesny, who will renew his contract and remain as a luxury replacement for Ter Stegen, who is already back. The goalkeeper has suitors both inside and outside LaLiga, so the only question is whether he will leave with or without terminating his contract.
In defense, Héctor Fort is on the transfer list, as he does not have the coach’s confidence at right back, where Koundé reigns supreme and competition is sought, and Araújo, who has not performed at his best and has suitors who could leave a big dent in the club’s coffers.
Other names on the list include Fermín and Gavi. Both are players with great potential and, especially the former, have accumulated suitors, so although painful, their departure could help the club’s financial situation considerably. In midfield, De Jong’s name is also on the list in the event that he does not renew his contract.
Finally, there are three young players in a similar situation, as they are not getting any playing time at Barça and the club would look for a destination for them to continue their development, either through a transfer or a loan. We are talking about Pablo Torre, Pau Víctor, and Ansu Fati.