Barcelona and Real Madrid given transfer boost by FFP rule change
Robin Bairner
- 28 Apr 2022 15:34 BST
- 3 min read
La Liga has implemented a rule change that could revolutionise the summer transfer window for Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Spanish clubs are constrained by tight spending limits that are based on their financial circumstances, which have left both huge clubs frustrated by their lack of flexibility in the transfer market.
Barcelona, who are €1.3 billion in debt, have particularly felt the pinch. Last summer, for example, they lost Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain because of the rules and had to go to extraordinary lengths to allow summer signings Memphis Depay, Eric Garcia and Sergio Aguero to play, despite these players all being free transfers.
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The Catalans managed to spend more extensively than expected in January but ahead of the summer transfer window, they are once again facing difficult decisions.
It is reported by ARA that clubs will now be allowed to make some of the profit they raise through transfer sales available to reinvest in their squad. Although this was the case in previous transfer windows, it was an exception following the Covid-19 pandemic designed to stimulate the market. This expired in January and has now been re-introduced for the summer.
What does it mean for clubs?
Clubs will take advantage of this rule to increase their salary cap. For example, if Barcelona sold a player who generated a capital gain of €10m, they will now be able to reinvest 25% of that figure back into their squad, giving them an additional £2.5m of spending power.
Although these rules apply to all clubs, it is likely that Barcelona will be the main club to profit, having sunk so far into debt in recent season.
In order to generate this extra wealth, though, they will have to find willing buyers for their players, but as Barca are ready to put as many as 24 stars up for sale in the summer, there is surely a prospect that business can be done.
