Barcelona’s recent signing, Dani Olmo, is finally set to make his debut against Rayo Vallecano after missing the initial two matches of the season due to registration delays caused by the club’s financial struggles.
Sources have confirmed that LaLiga is expected to approve a temporary registration for Olmo, allowing him to be eligible to play in the upcoming game. This approval comes after the club was able to free up cap space by utilizing Article 77 of LaLiga’s Regulations for the Preparation of Budgets.
The registration of Dani Olmo was made possible by the long-term injury suffered by Andreas Christensen, which resulted in Barça being able to utilize 80% of the Danish centre-back’s salary towards registering new players. This unexpected opportunity allowed the club to expedite the registration process for Olmo.
Barcelona has a history of resorting to Article 77 to facilitate player registrations in cases where financial constraints hinder the process. The club previously used the same formula to register players like Vitor Roque and Iñigo Martínez, leveraging injured players’ salary space to make room for new additions.
All clubs in Spain are obligated to adhere to a spending cap determined by their revenue and financial commitments. Barcelona’s recent measures to align with the spending limits involve reducing the wage bill, raising transfer fees, and exploring new revenue streams to operate within the prescribed cap.
Barcelona aims to meet LaLiga’s 1:1 rule before the transfer window closes, allowing them to utilize their savings or raised funds entirely for player acquisitions. Until the club achieves full compliance with the spending regulations, they are restricted to spending a percentage of any savings, often below 50%.
Barcelona’s proactive strategies to address their financial challenges have enabled them to overcome obstacles in registering new players like Dani Olmo. By leveraging opportunities presented by player injuries and utilizing Article 77 provisions, the club is navigating through the complexities of financial constraints to strengthen their squad effectively. As the transfer window approaches its end, Barcelona remains committed to achieving compliance with spending caps and unlocking the full potential of their resources.