As was expected, Barcelona have activated their second financial lever as Joan Laporta has famously termed it. Following the initial sale of 10% of their television rights for the next 25 years in a deal with Sixth Street, the Blaugrana have agreed to sell another 15% to the same company.
According to Sport, Barcelona will receive around €400m including capital gains. That deal means that Barcelona will not benefit from 25% of their considerable TV rights deals until 2047, with most forecasts anticipating significant profits for Sixth Street.
That deal will help to further lighten the financial load at the club, the key reason for these deals not being their debt, but rather registering players according to La Liga’s rules. Currently Barcelona only able to reinvest a third of the money they make from sales, transfers and savings towards players.
However Sport go onto say that Barcelona will continue to sell assets and are in need of a further €100m to adhere to La Liga’s rules and recruit players without those strict rules. Without the use of a third lever, they would be unable to register any of their current signings or renewals. The club members approved a deal to sell up to 49.9% of Barcelona Licensing and Merchandising, although Laporta will only aim to sell 20% as it stands.
That should dampen any expectations of further major signings at Camp Nou, although the Blaugrana have paid little attention to their current restrictions as it is.
