The 2022-2023 League champions are hoping for a favorable result in a key match between now and the end of the tournament. And it's not the one who plays today in Valladolid or on Saturday against Mallorca or the one who will be missing in Vigo against Celta. The big meeting is at the LaLiga offices, where the numbers and intentions proposed by the Barcelona club to reduce their expenses by 200 million are studied. Barça expects that it will be in the next few weeks when the management informs it that it accepts its viability plan for the next two seasons, which will allow it to register players as normal.
At the end of April, the Barcelona association handed over to LaLiga, chaired by Javier Tebas, a file with all the measures the board of directors is willing to take to balance expenses with ordinary income.
Barcelona consider that they have made and will complete all the efforts required of them to demonstrate their rigorous austerity and that Barcelona has recovered financially. However, it would not be the first time that the criteria do not coincide with those of LaLiga, whose delegated board has recently dealt with the Barcelona case. "Mateu Alemany works on the issue every day and keeps us informed", details Xavi, very attentive to developments.
Barcelona's goal is to register the already agreed renewals - the top priority - and to be able to sign without restrictions to strengthen a squad that has won two national titles this season (the League and the Super Cup) in order to compete and regain the lost status in Europe
Gavi, Araújo, Marcos Alonso, Sergi Roberto and Iñaki Peña have new contracts pending registration. In addition, Balde's renewal until 2027 is already fully secured. Especially urgent is the case of the Andalusian midfielder, who has a clause whereby he would be free if he is not a member of the first team for legal purposes on July 1.
For this reason, Barcelona has committed in writing to Tebas to undertake a new salary reduction in the dressing room in which around 50 million must be saved. The farewell to Busquets, whose contract was ending, lightens the crowd, in the same way that you want to talk to Jordi Alba, who is entering his last year.
The cuts will not only affect football, but also belt-tightening in the professional sections. Something similar happens in several areas of FC Barcelona, who know they have to reduce payrolls.
In this sense, the most drastic formula has been chosen with the closure of Barça TV, the club's official television. Some professionals will move to the communications department or Barça Studios, but the savings due to the cessation of activity is estimated to exceed ten million. The firmness of Laporta's board with this measure is one of those that have most convinced LaLiga that Barcelona has understood the message.
Another of the adjustments that can convince the management is the budget that the Blaugrana have projected for player sales. "I think Barça will make good sales this year", said Javier Tebas himself at the presentation of his organization's financial report. I knew this first hand because the viability plan has scheduled departures worth 70 million. It does not include the 20 in which the transfer of Griezmann to Atlético was closed before the stoppage of the World Cup.
Xavi does not want to leave the headlines. Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres, Kessié and Eric Garcia are four of the footballers who have participated the least so far, and all, except for the Valencian striker, would give a high surplus value. Without forgetting the loanees Abde, Nico, Collado, Lenglet, Umtiti or Dest.
In addition to bringing in a good amount, in the third summer Barcelona anticipates that a significant part of its reinforcements will arrive at zero cost. It already happened in the first market of Laporta and Alemany when they arrived with the letter of freedom Eric Garcia, Agüero and Memphis. Last summer, Christensen, Kessié and Bellerín managed to use the same method.
Barcelona now have another centre-back linked, Athletic international Iñigo Martínez, and also hope to convince Ilkay Gündogan, five-time Premier League champion with City. Leo Messi from PSG is also free. Barça sighs for this special return. "It is in abeyance. We'll see if it can be done. It depends on many things, also on Leo's intentions", revealed Xavi yesterday. But first of all you need to have the approval of LaLiga.
