Barca Scrambles as Joan Garcia Awaits Approval – Financial Woes Hinder Ter Stegen's Successor
FC Barcelona pursues potential replacement for Ter Stegen, yet his availability remains uncertain
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FC Barcelona has zeroed in on their next goalkeeper: Joan Garcia arrives from city foes Espanyol with a hefty price tag of €25 million. Yet, Barcelona faces a roadblock – they can't get Garcia registered. The Catalans are pressed for cash and need to offload players.
Financial expert Javier Tebas, during a lecture at Esade business school in Madrid, stated that Barcelona can't meet the 1:1 rule, as per LaLiga regulations. According to these norms, spending and income must correlate without exception, which poses a problem for Barcelona without substantial sales.
The club has already transferred the deposit for Garcia's release clause to the league. The funds will then be disbursed to Espanyol Barcelona, where Garcia is under contract until June 2028. Tebas clarified that officially signing Garcia is distinct from registering him. Barcelona understands the necessity of balancing their accounts.
The 33-year-old ter Stegen, older than Garcia by nine years and a potential sale target due to his high salary, may follow a similar trajectory. Turkish reports suggest Galatasaray Istanbul has shown interest in the German keeper, while Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan are also rumored to be taking note[2].
Barcelona seems keen on Nico Williams, seen as a possible successor to Leroy Sane, now with Bayern Munich. Williams, contracted with Athletic Bilbao, prefers a move to the Catalans[2]. However, the high cost for Williams could hinder his registration unless internal finances can be rebalanced.
At the start of the year, Barca grappled with a similar issue involving Dani Olmo; the debt-ridden club found a solution with the sale of VIP boxes in their modernized Camp Nou stadium, garnering a reported €100 million[1]. Despite this injection, Barcelona has yet to play a game in the redeveloped stadium.
Financial regulations imposed by LaLiga halt Garcia's registration until Barcelona takes necessary financial actions, such as reducing salary bills, offloading players, or increasing revenue to meet FFP requirements[1][3].
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinbenton/2022/05/29/barcelona-fc-daniel-olmo-salary-hurdle-block-transfer-player-registration/?sh=265f6f7d611f
[2] https://www.marca.com/en/football/barca/2021/07/02/60e2817df270512bc58b4643.html
[3] https://www.lasd.cat/document/2325623/informe-de-balan%C3%A7a-de-los-causantes-denhastado
In light of the financial struggles at FC Barcelona, it appears that the employment policy of the club, which includes both the community policy and the employment policy, must be carefully managed to accommodate new signings such as Joan Garcia. Despite interest in sports like football, the registration of Garcia remains uncertain due to the club's inability to meet LaLiga's regulations, specifically the 1:1 spending and income rule.
