How much will Barcelona have to pay to make Cancelo and Felix permanent transfers?
Suraj Radia
- 23 Sept 2023 15:03 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona have benefitted from the loan signings of Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix this summer but the Catalans may have to fork out an eyewatering sum of money to make the transfers permanent next year.
Both players joined on deadline day and have enjoyed impressive starts to their careers at Barca, immediately adapting to Xavi’s style of play and settling in at the Camp Nou.
Cancelo slotted straight into right-back, allowing Jules Kounde to move to his preferred centre-back role, having been used on the flank during his debut season.
REVEALED: Why Felix took Barca pay cut
The Manchester City loanee has no future under Pep Guardiola after a fall-out with the Spaniard last season and could be available to sign for €25 million – a significantly smaller amount than the €65m they had hoped for last year.
However, while Cancelo could prove an affordable option for Barca, a move for Felix will likely cost at least €80m, with Atletlico looking to recoup as much of the €126m they paid for him in 2019 as possible.
Felix extended his contract with Atleltico until 2029 in order to lower the amount his salary is amortised on the books, with the 23-year-old also not wanted by his parent club after a clash with manager Diego Simeone.
Why Barca could miss out on permanent deals for both Felix and Cancelo
Barca’s financial struggles mean that a permanent transfer for Felix would be near impossible at that price despite a desire from all parties to make a deal.
Felix has netted three times in his first three games for Barca and Portuguese international took a significant salary cut in order to move to the club that he described as his ‘dream’ during the summer.
However, La Liga’s strict registration rules have prevented Barca from using the lower salary amount as part of their salary cap, meaning the club are more than 50% over their wage bill.
CONSTRAINTS: Barca unable to register wonderkid after La Liga slashes salary cap
As a result, Barca will need to cut their salary rather than add to it, so a move for both Cancelo and Felix could be impossible even if the fees are affordable.
