Barcelona are set for confirmation of their hard work on Thursday, as La Liga release their updated figures for the league’s salary limits.
The salary limits, which place restrictions on what clubs in the top two divisions can spend based on their income and expenses are updated twice a year after each transfer window.
According to Sport, the Blaugrana are in for good news, after despite the fact their salary limit is due for a major reduction. Following the sale of a number of assets, Barcelona ended the January transfer window with a salary limit of €648m, but were spending €566m.
Without the income from those asset sales though, the Barcelona salary limit was always set for a major drop this season. They have reportedly reduced their spending to €404m, which corresponds to their new limit. In total, it is a reduction of €162m. It means that their spending will not be restricted to 50% of what they can save and earn going forward, if the can stay within the limit, although that does likely mean sales, if they are indeed on the limit.
Barcelona managed to register Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix with minutes to go on the final day of the transfer window, with both reportedly taking wage cuts, and the departures of Ez Abde, Eric Garcia, Ansu Fati and Clement Lenglet.
That said, the figure of €404m is based on having received money from their asset sales. The Blaugrana sold 49.5% of Barca Vision for €200m, but only received €20m of the fee from Orpheus Media and Socios.
Since, another €60m payment was due, but that was also missed. Barcelona then sold 29.5% of that 49.5% of Barca Vision for €120m to NIPA and Libero. €20m of the €60m from NIPA arrived in August, but the other €40m from Libero did not, which was due before the end of the month. Barcelona’s President Joan Laporta and Treasurer Ferran Olive had to submit a bank guarantee of €20m in order to register Cancelo and Felix.
Now Barcelona are €40m short of where they want to be in La Liga’s eyes, which they will have to come up with by January. There have also been reports that Barcelona are willing to break their agreement with Libero and look for another investor, should they be unable to come up with the money.
