Currently in a tough financial situation, FC Barcelona have been trying to sign Manchester Citys Joao Cancelo. The La Liga club’s plans could face interference from UEFA, who have ruled out the use of sales from future TV and merchandising rights as part of annual income calculations. The Catalan outfit are depending on a 340 million pounds deal with Investment group Sixth Street to get around their financial situation and also sold their IT rights for a further 170 million pounds.
With cash in their hand, the club decided to go for Cancelo, motivated by the sale of Ousmane Dembele to PSG. UEFA will be auditing the club’s accounts in October 2024 and the club could be in danger of a potential European ban. UEFA has already announced a fixed-penalty schedule for clubs that breach the new rules. In most cases, it will also bring fines. Barcelona’s stance of going against such regulations could see them do wilful acts of non-compliance.
Recently, Barcelona also failed to re-sign club legend Lionel Messi, who departed PSG for Inter Miami. Speaking on the failed Messi move, Barca chief Joan Laporta said, “We agreed, but everything has its time and sometimes the rhythms are different. The contract was agreed, but when La Liga gave us the authorization, Messi’s father told me that Leo had had two difficult years in Paris, that he had suffered a lot and now he wanted to play in a league with less pressure. I told him it was perfectly understandable.”
Barcelona also owe Messi a huge amount of money. Speaking on the debt owed to him, Laporta said, “What is owed to him is the deferral of the salary bill that was agreed with the previous board and that produces pending payments that end in 2025. He is paid religiously.”
“We had an agreement with La Liga that we would dedicate part of the resources we have to Messi. It was contemplated within the feasibility plan. We communicated it to Jorge Messi. He told me that Leo had spent a very difficult year in Paris and that he wanted less pressure. With our option, he would have continued to have pressure and I understood his decision. Let him do very well [in Miami] and we will begin to prepare his super tribute. Within the framework of the 125th anniversary and when we return to the Camp Nou it would be perfect,” he further added.
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