Barcelona’s Financial Troubles Could Impact Their Season
FC Barcelona has had a remarkable transfer window. The club, which has faced financial challenges in the last several years due to a debt the team is dealing with, has still managed to complete the signings of several important players.
However, Barcelona may face difficulty in complying with financial rules established by La Liga. In fact, some of the players who joined the club this summer may not even be allowed to play for the team at the start of the season due to financial issues.
Barcelona’s Transfer Moves This Summer
This summer, FC Barcelona has been one of the most interesting teams in the transfer market. The club has made four key signings, the most notable of which is Robert Lewandowski, who recently completed his transfer to the team.
Lewandowski is one of the best center-forwards in the world. He scored 35 goals in 34 games in the Bundesliga last season, a year after he scored 41 goals in the Bundesliga. He also added 13 additional goals in the Champions League across 10 matches.
He will immediately improve Barcelona’s attack as the team hopes to compete to win La Liga this season. His Champions League experience will benefit the team after Barcelona failed to make it beyond the group stage of the tournament last season.
However, Lewandowski is not the only player that has joined Barcelona this summer. Raphinha joins the team after spending the last several seasons at Leeds United, where he became one of the best forwards in the league. He will immediately add depth to Barcelona’s group of forwards as the team competes in both La Liga and the Champions League this season.
Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen, who join the team after becoming free agents, will provide depth in the midfield and in defense. Kessie was excellent during his time at AC Milan, and has extensive experience in one of Europe’s major leagues, Serie A, in addition to Champions League and Europa League experience, despite being just 25 years old.
Christensen, who joins Barcelona after spending the last few seasons at Chelsea, has played 93 Premier League games in his career. In addition, he played an important role in Chelsea’s Champions League success over the last several years.
While Barcelona has made their team significantly stronger heading into next season, the transfers of Lewandowski and Raphinha cost the team a combined $113.3 million, a significant amount of money considering the financial standing of the club heading into this summer.
How Barcelona’s Financial Situation Could Impact the Team and Soccer Odds
While Barcelona has already signed several new players, they are still attempting to complete a few more signings before the end of the transfer window. However, it is unclear what the financial situation surrounding the team is as they sign new players.
Earlier this summer Barcelona sold some of its future media rights revenue to an investment firm, and the team plans to sell a greater stake of their future media rights revenue in the near future. The club has also reportedly considered selling part of its merchandising business to generate revenue.
In addition to those financial moves, the team also saw Philippe Coutinho depart for Aston Villa permanently this summer after he spent part of last season on loan with the team. Barcelona received a $22 million transfer fee as part of that deal.
However, while those decisions have helped Barcelona’s financial situation, it is unclear how the team is positioned heading into next season, and if they are in compliance with La Liga’s financial rules. Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay may be other players that have to leave the club in order for the team to be financially stable.
Barcelona’s transfer window so far has made them strong contenders to win La Liga after they finished 13 points behind rivals Real Madrid last season. They will also be expected to reach the knockout rounds of the Champions League. However, their financial situation could have a massive impact on how the rest of the transfer window and the team’s season plays out over the next few months.