The excitement surrounding FC Barcelona and their transfer business this summer, when the club announced Joan Garcia, has quickly dissipated in the weeks that have followed, especially due to the Nico Williams fiasco.
There seems to be radio silence from the club on why the deal fell through and when they expect to return to the 1:1 status this summer. Even in terms of transfer dealings, things have gone awfully quiet in recent days.
Now, as per a report from Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona expect to return to the elusive 1:1 rule by August. The club is waiting for the Crowe audit to be validated by La Liga to enable the same, which is a prerequisite for player registrations and transfer activity.
The 1:1 rule
The 1:1 financial fair play rule might look like rocket science, but what it means, at a very high level, is that the club can spend every euro that they make (in revenue or savings) on player wages, transfers, and renewals, subject to approval by La Liga.
Currently, the club isn’t operating under the same rules, which makes registering a new signing like Joan Garcia or a renewal like Wojciech Szczesny much more difficult. Returning to the 1:1 status by August should give the club enough time to register the above players and any other new signings in time for the season opener.
The report mentions that Barcelona also assume that the €100M VIP seat sales must be taken into account. It is worth emphasising here that Crowe is not expecting the money to be paid upfront and only needs a commitment.
In the broader footballing ecosystem, such financial levers and budgeting uncertainties can be as unpredictable as the odds on FIFA eSports matches, where momentum swings and tactical tweaks can redefine outcomes in a matter of seconds.
Sales on the cards?
One other means through which Barcelona could look to catalyse the return to the 1:1 is by making a significant sale, with club captain Marc-Andre Ter Stegen a prime candidate. The German seems to have no assurance about his role in the team, with Joan and Szczesny likely to be #1 and #2 going forward.
Although it does look like Barcelona has time, it is a ticking clock situation for the club, especially if they are working with a deadline of August 10-16. There is always the danger of potential hurdles that could further delay this process.
Every single summer in Barcelona in recent years has been marred by this 1:1 fight that the club seems to be fighting, with no seeming end. Joan Laporta seemed extremely confident of the club being in a position to compete this summer, but so far, it has been a mixed bag.
Fans wait in anticipation to see if and when Barcelona return to a position that enables them to make more signings this summer. It looks like this saga is set to drag on for yet another month, and let’s hope “all is well that ends well”.
