Barcelona are facing another gargantuan task this summer, possible even more difficult than finding the money for their squad rebuild last summer.
The Blaugrana sanctioned €667m in asset sales last summer in order to fund their summer spending, which has allowed them to be competitive once more.
That was in order to put their accounts into the black, and thus allow them to spend on their salary limit. However a new La Liga regulation passed in November will limit the amount that asset sales can contribute to the salary limit figures to just 5%.
It means a similar plan would be impossible, thus Barcelona’s only course of action is to reduce their wage bill and/or make major sales.
According to Javier Tebas, President of La Liga, they must shrink their wage bill by half.
“The forecast deficit of the Barcelona is more than 200 million euros as of today. So it does not seem appropriate to accept that registration. As for the registrations that they can make now, it is true that he has an amount for the savings that have been made by Pique and by Memphis, but Barcelona is the one that must decide.”
Tebas made the comments to Marca, and despite his admittance they do have some margin this winter, he advised Barcelona not to use it.
“But I think it is important that we remember what the vice president of Barcelona said in the June Assembly and also in the ordinary Assembly, that what Barça had to do, in general for its future, was to reduce the wage bill. From 600 million to lower it to 400 and I think he said a little more. Let’s see when we start.”
If Barcelona do not adhere to Tebas’ suggestion, they will be subjected to restrictions on their transfers – they will only be able to use 40% of what they bring in sales or save on new transfers or contracts.
