Barcelona are looking at a chaotic end to the transfer window, with their transfer operations currently paralysed by their so far unsuccessful attempts to fit into their salary limit.
Since the exit of Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona are yet to make a first team signing or sale since. Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo is expected to join the club, while the likes of Clement Lenglet are also expected to go the other way. Indeed President Joan Laporta has promised one or two more signings.
Barcelona had resold 29.5% of the rights to Barca Vision less than a month ago, which was supposed to solve their cash flow problems. Yet their deal with Libero, worth €120m in total, is yet to bear the fruits expected. While the German investment fund have given €20m of the €60m due before the end of the transfer window, at least according to initial reporting, they are still waiting on the remainder of that sum.
Sport say that at minimum €20m should arrive into Barcelona’s accounts, and be directed immediately towards registering Inigo Martinez and Inaki Pena, who still are unable to play this season. With Martinez, Barcelona may have to allow him to leave on loan if they cannot register him.
Laporta and Treasurer Ferran Olive may be forced to use their own personal finances in order to register those players. Last summer they put up a bank guarantee of around €11m in order to ensure Jules Kounde could play last summer. Board members can put up their own assets in order to reduce cash flow problems if they anticipate income, but are liable should it not arrive.
They may be looking at €8-9m in guarantee this season, but if the funds from Libero do not arrive, Laporta and company, at this point other board members may also join, may have to try and attempt a €30m bank guarantee.
This should not create too many problems, but is obviously far from ideal and is another process that requires approval from La Liga. In addition, questions will be asked over how three separate entities have been allowed to miss payments for deals that were struck precisely in order to inject cash into the club.
