With the arrival of summer, teams begin to shake the tree to make the ‘rotten apples’ fall, just as they rub the lamp asking for signings. At Barça, the latter is closely linked to the former, given the club’s financial situation. Laporta and Deco need to finalize departures to make room under the salary cap, as well as finally seeking the inclusion of VIP boxes. These two things will largely determine whether the Azulgrana can have a successful summer without the need for precautionary measures.
The current situation complicates signings
Barça has already finalized its first signing of the season, none other than goalkeeper Joan García. The Espanyol goalkeeper has said yes to their eternal rivals to continue growing as a player. A yes that has been linked to the promise of a starting spot and the guarantee of registration. Right now, with the €25 million of his release clause still to be paid to LaLiga so that he can sign as a Barça player, registration is not possible.
Barça needs to make room for a player who will sign for five seasons with a gross salary of around €6 million. The Catalan club is currently outside the 1:1 rule after an auditor ruled that the income declared from the sale of VIP seats at the new Camp Nou could not be counted in the current financial year as they have not yet been built.
Now, awaiting certification from the construction company that the work on the boxes is complete, the club hopes that this income can be accounted for, as well as the amounts from the percentage of sales retained with some players, the purchase of Álex Valle, and the various departures the club is already working on.
Operation departure underway
The departure that seems most imminent at Barça is that of Ansu Fati. The agreement with Monaco is complete and the player will go out on loan for one season with an option for the Monegasque club to buy him for €12 million. In addition, as has been customary in Barça’s recent deals, a significant percentage of any future sale will be included. The player’s situation was critical, with less than 300 minutes played this season and several frustrated attempts to leave Barça, where he has failed to succeed. Lenglet’s departure to Atlético Madrid is also expected to be imminent, on a permanent basis after the end of his loan spell. The final details of the deal are being ironed out and are expected to be resolved in the coming days.
Another deal expected to be completed this summer is that of Iñaki Peña, whose situation has been worsened by the signing of Joan García. The Spanish goalkeeper has not had an easy season with Barça, finding himself relegated to the bench with the arrival of Szczesny. LaLiga clubs such as Valencia and Celta have shown interest. Barça is willing to facilitate his departure as he still has a contract in place.
Two other promising young players looking to leave the Azulgrana are Pablo Torre and Pau Víctor. With Torre, the priority is a transfer that includes, perhaps, a buy-back option for Barça in the future, as the Azulgrana believe in the potential of a player who, however, has no place in the team. For his part, the young striker has a number of suitors and knows that he will not get quality playing time at Barça.
One player returning to Barça after a loan spell who is not in the plans is Oriol Romeu, for whom a new home will also be sought. In addition, the club knows that players from the youth academy will also be looking for a change of scenery, such as Noah Darvich, Mamadou Mbacke, and Alan Godoy, who are attracting interest.