Step 2 of 3 in “operation rescue” takes effect. FC Barcelona is proud to announce another capital injection through the club channels. That after a week in which Raphinha and Lewandowski were brought to the Camp Nou for hefty amounts. How can Barça – despite a huge mountain of debt – still make top transfers?
“Barcelona is the only club that can buy top players without having any money.” Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann is clearly not pleased with the departure of Robert Lewandowski.
In recent weeks, Barça threw their money back as usual. To get Lewandowski loose at Bayern Munich, a sloppy 45 million was needed. Raphinha came over from Leeds for just under 60 million euros.
You read that right: more than 100 million euros disappeared from the portfolio of the Catalan superpower. Money they can’t afford to miss. A yawning financial pit of nearly $1.5 billion haunts President Joan Laporta even in his sleep.
And yet he seems unconcerned about his club’s accounting. The number heroes have concocted a plan…
Barcelona is counting on a – temporary – guardian angel: the American management consultant Sixth Street. At the beginning of June, that took over 10% of the media rights, good for about 200 million euros.
Today was the second step in the accounting plan of Laporta and co. Sixth Street will buy another 15%, for which it will pay 300 million.
The Catalans will receive half a billion in bonus in a month, the American company will receive a quarter of the media rights for 25 years. “A good deal”, they think on both sides.
Calculated gamble or death sentence?
Hurray at the Camp Nou. After agreements with new shirt and stadium sponsor Spotify, it is catching another fat fish. Soon the merchandising subsidiary “Barça Studios” will also have to take it.
However, those operations are not without danger: the club is playing with future income. The only thing that can keep Barcelona upright in the coming years are sporting successes. To have a chance at that, Laporta has been busy in recent transfer periods.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s financial condition has been the target of social media jeers. “They can’t even afford Photoshop anymore,” is the response to Lewandowski’s visually poor announcement. “They’re making it in Snapchat now.”
A concern that can be stolen from Barça.
De Jong victim of salary ceiling?
Then there remains one short-term problem: the salary ceiling imposed by the Spanish Football Association.
That was 98 million euros for last season, as a result of which players such as Piqué, Umtiti and Sergi Roberto saw their wages almost halved. High earners Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho were pushed to the exit.
The salary cap could be raised for the coming seasons, if Barcelona can prove that it generates enough income. Still, it will be difficult to put all the new signings – Christensen, Kessié, Raphinha and Lewandowski – on the payroll. And so the board focuses on Frenkie de Jong, who is currently earning the most generous salary.
A departure of the Dutchman is greatly encouraged in the Camp Nou. Manchester United likes a reunion with Erik ten Hag, De Jong just a little less. The midfielder – who came over from Ajax for 80 million euros at the time – would prefer to stay.
It remains to be seen whether he has a say in that at all.
