Barcelona’s squad cost limit to be announced on Thursday – report
According to a recent report from Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona will soon find out its squad cost limit, which will determine how much it can spend during the next transfer window in January.
La Liga is expected to release these figures on Thursday after the current transfer market closes. This update will apply to all teams in the First and Second Divisions.
The current salary cap was last updated in February when Barcelona’s squad cost limit was set at €204 million. This represented a significant reduction from the €270 million limit in September 2023 and an even larger drop from over €400 million the previous February.
With recent developments, Barcelona’s spending limit is expected to rise slightly. Several changes in the squad, including player departures, have reduced salary commitments, which could positively affect the new limit.
Player exits from Barcelona
During the summer transfer window, the club offloaded high-earners like Ilkay Gundogan and loaned players such as Clement Lenglet and Vitor Roque to Atletico Madrid and Real Betis, respectively.
Oriol Romeu also left on loan to Girona. In terms of sales, Barcelona let go of players like Mikayil Faye, Julian Araujo, Chadi Riad, and Marc Guiu.
Additionally, contracts expired for veteran players Sergi Roberto and Marcos Alonso, while Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo returned after the end of their loan spells.
The only notable arrivals were Dani Olmo and Pau Victor, alongside a few contract renewals of players promoted to the first team.
There are still issues to address
Interestingly, the club still faces a significant financial issue related to the sale of Barça Studios. This sale, valued at €200 million, was part of the financial “levers” that Barcelona pulled in the summer of 2022.
Unfortunately, only €40 million of that amount has been paid so far—€20 million at the time of the sale and another €20 million last summer.
The recent deal with Aramark could have brought in €25 million this summer, but La Liga only recognised €15 million for financial fair play, leaving €25 million still pending. Furthermore, the remaining €60 million is due to be paid by the summer of 2025.
In summary, while Barcelona have made progress in reducing its salary burden, the financial challenge posed by the sale of Barça Studios remains a pressing issue. The club will be keen to see how the new squad cost limit will impact its January transfer activities.