The reasons Barcelona can afford to sign and pay Nico Williams despite their financial challenges after agreeing to sign the Spain winger from Athletic Bilbao for €60m.
Barcelona’s 2024-25 season was a rollercoaster both on and off the pitch.
Hansi Flick led the team to a domestic treble, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de Espana, but they fell short in the Champions League semi-finals against Inter. Meanwhile, the club grappled with familiar financial woes and La Liga's stringent salary cap regulations.
The January transfer window saw dramatic intervention from the Spanish government, enabling Barça to field Dani Olmo and Pau Victor for the latter half of the season. This summer promises similar drama, with Barcelona already making significant moves in the transfer market.
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Goalkeeper Joan Garcia arrived from Espanyol after Barcelona activated his €25 million release clause. The club has also reportedly reached a verbal agreement with Nico Williams on personal terms, ahead of a potential €60 million transfer.
However, La Liga president Javier Tebas recently highlighted Barcelona's ongoing financial challenges.
This article -originally reported by The Athletic - examines Barcelona's financial predicament and explores the potential scenarios leading up to the transfer window's close, including the curious case of VIP seats at the Camp Nou. It explains how Barcelona can afford to pay Nico Williams.
Registration Challenges
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Barcelona's primary issue is not acquiring funds for transfers, but registering new signings with La Liga. Over €1.3 billion of debt, accumulated since Laporta's return as president in 2021, continues to plague the club. Short-term financial solutions, often referred to as "levers," have been met with resistance from La Liga, which advocates for more sustainable financial management.
Barcelona has often clashed with La Liga over these regulations. The registration of Olmo and Victor for the first half of the 2024-25 season, using a rule for injured player replacements, ultimately required intervention from the Spanish government's High Council of Sports (CSD) after La Liga revoked their registrations.
While the CSD ruling did not challenge the financial controls themselves, it questioned La Liga's authority to revoke the players' licenses. This means Olmo and Victor are now registered until the end of their contracts in 2030 and 2029, respectively, although La Liga's appeal is pending.
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Tebas recently reiterated Barcelona's non-compliance with salary cap rules, questioning their ability to register new signings like Joan Garcia. Barcelona's options are limited unless they generate more revenue through player sales or increased income.
The VIP Seat Gambit
In late 2024, Barcelona explored various fundraising avenues, including a new kit deal with Nike. One controversial move involved selling future revenues from 475 VIP seats at the under-construction Camp Nou for €100 million to two investor groups.
La Liga subsequently questioned the financing of these deals, noting their absence from previous audit reports. Barcelona reacted with "surprise and indignation," accusing Tebas of attempting to destabilize the club.
Reports suggest these funds can only be recognized once the VIP seats are built. Laporta has stated the seats are complete, but La Liga has yet to receive the necessary financial details.
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Sponsorships, Barca Studios & Mobile Revenue Growth
Barcelona's "levers" have included selling future La Liga TV rights and the Barca Studios/Barca Vision project, now known as Barca Media. The latter's valuation has been subject to write-downs, potentially impacting future salary caps. The club has also launched Barca Mobile, a virtual mobile operator, in partnership with NEVG, one of the VIP seat investors.
Strategic Player Sales Already Underway
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Predicting Barcelona's transfer activity is notoriously difficult. A significant portion of the VIP seat revenue remains outstanding. Player sales, including potential departures of Ansu Fati, Inaki Pena, Ronald Araujo, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, are crucial for generating funds and freeing up salary cap space.
Barcelona aims to operate under the "1:1" rule, allowing them to spend every euro raised rather than allocating a portion to debt repayment. Laporta has expressed confidence in achieving this, but further "fighting" over salary cap interpretations seems inevitable, given the strained relationship with La Liga.