As Barcelona are still unable to register Dani Olmo and Pau Victor with the January transfer window swinging open, uncertainty grows about what the club may do moving forward. While they can take the matter to the Higher Sports council (CSD) in order to attempt to register the players via a court order, damage has already been done.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has already been urged to resign by supporters groups and there are also reports that the duo are unhappy with how this has gone. Barcelona have been able to work their way out of financial snags in the past, but with La Liga having a provision to prevent re-registering players who have been de-registered during the season, this may be one where just a financial lever isn’t enough.
Even current players such as Raphinha are beginning to voice their opinions on this situation and how it could impact future signings at the club.
“Yes, it can have an impact. I can’t say the opposite. If I was in another club seeing the situation they are going through, I would probably wonder if coming here is the best option,” Raphinha said. “When I signed for Barca I knew the situation the club was going through. I saw a chance to play for this shirt and I waited until the very last moment. I don’t regret at all my decision.”
The Brazilian himself, visited by club president Joan Laporta after the comments, is someone who was impacted by these financial restrictions as Barcelona had to sell 10% of their La Liga TV rights in order to add Raphinha from Leeds United for an up-front fee of €58 million. Since, their financial outlook has worsened due to being away from the Camp Nou while the stadium is being renovated.
An agreement is in place to sell VIP boxes at the Camp Nou but being unable to prove that they had already obtained funds from that sale is what was the final straw. The difference between Raphinha compared to Olmo and Victor is that when he was signed, Barcelona had a way to register him for the entire season whereas here they may have overplayed their hand thinking that the Camp Nou would be ready for play on time.
Construction delays can happen and basing a player’s registration on something out of the club’s control is what could have ramifications. The Barcelona shirt will always have a draw to players around the world but most of that draw is being able to actually put on the badge and represent the club.
Adding uncertainty to that could decrease Barcelona’s appeal especially when these are financial issues that the club has been skirting around even prior to Lionel Messi’s departure in 2021, with the financial situation pivotol in Argentine’s departure. The La Liga salary cap rule that was introduced made the departure necessary but the band aids applied since haven’t helped turn around Barcelona’s financial outlook.
Olmo is showing just how tenuous Barcelona’s situation is and that’s where it could impact players who could join later down the road. Even if the duo are re-registered, the club has forced them to miss time and crucial games that they would’ve appeared in while manager Hansi Flick’s hands are also tied. No one is in a good place amid this and only time will tell if there’s a way to rectify it but a situation where Olmo can’t play again for Barcelona this season could have a negative impact on their reputation and results.
Read the full article here
