Barcelona were 18 seconds late in completing January signing

Stuart Telford

• 2 Feb 2023 15:35 GMT
• 3 min read

Bernardo Silva to Barcelona always looks like a pipe dream, but another deal was all but done until a technical error tripped it up…

Barca's financial plight has been well documented, and they were always likely to wait until the summer for significant squad movement following this season's group stage exit from the Champions League.

The Blaugrana raised €4 million in player transfers, selling Memphis Depay and Atletico Madrid and Hector Bellerin to Sporting Lisbon - not a huge amount of money but having their wages off the books was also welcome.

READ: Barcelona to sign MLS star as Bellerin replacement

The lone transfers in they were expected to complete was Julian Araujo's from LA Galaxy, with the Mexico right-back slated to complete a €3.7m move to Camp Nou, but his paperwork didn't arrive in time.

Alemany: 'computer error'

"We didn't arrive on time because of a computer error," Barca sporting director Mateu Alemany explained to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano. "It seems that the systems fell, but for only 18 seconds. We have to wait to see what FIFA decides."

FIFA have yet to rule on whether or not Barca can now legally acquire the 21-year-old, but his addition would have been a useful one.

READ: Man Utd handed blow in summer transfer for Barca star

Araujo is a right-back at a time when the La Liga leaders are desperate for one.

Bellerin's second stay after arriving on a free from Arsenal last summer was peppered by injury, and a left-back and centre-back respectively have been used in the position this season in Alex Balde and Jules Kounde.

Barca have a long-standing interest in Manchester City's Bernardo, while they tried to agree a loan now, pay later deal with Fiorentina for Morocco's World Cup star Sofyan Amrabat which fell on deaf ears.

With no new players bought, Barcelona have at least been allowed to register Golden Boy Gavi in the senior squad, authenticating the four-year contract extension - which includes a €1 billion release clause - he signed in September.