Barcelona will have to allocate some of their salary limit space for next season towards Vitor Roque this campaign, if they want to register the Brazilian striker instead of Gavi this January. After it was confirmed by Athletico Paranaense that he has played his final home match for the side, Sporting Director confirmed this would be the case.
The Blaugrana are allowed to sign a replacement for Gavi for up to 80% of his wage costs or the equivalent of 2% of their salary limit as an emergency injury addition. With Barcelona’s limit set at €5.4m, this will be the maximum they can use for Roque’s salary.
Roque was set to join in July of 2024, for a fee of €30m plus €31m in variables, but if that move is completed, then it is not yet clear whether they will pay the first instalments of that fee now, or wait until the summer, as the salary limit appears to make this difficult. MD report that Barcelona will have to sign a document acknowledging that they accept whatever they spend on Roque between now and next season as an emergency signing next summer will be deducted from their salary limit next season – this naturally impacts their spending power next season.
President Joan Laporta has claimed that Barcelona will be able to operate without salary limit restrictions next summer, but the Blaugrana have a €130m gap to make up for that to be the case. It looks as if that gap will suffer a setback on behalf of Roque, but if it makes the difference for Barcelona in league or Champions League competitions, the finances could even themselves out. It looks as if Laporta will once again speculate to accumulate.
