Financial Struggles: Cash-strapped status complicates strategic moves.
Missed Opportunity: Nico Williams Slips Through Barcelona’s Grasp
Barca find themselves in a remarkably similar position to past years, penny-pinching while relying on player sales and a faltering brand to assemble a squad capable of competing. Thus far, the misses have outnumbered the hits, with the Catalans once again falling behind the European elite.
Barca are financially hamstrung and haven’t made any big moves in the market, while their rivals continue to strengthen.
Here we are again. A summer transfer window involving Barcelona, complete with speculation, Instagram rumors, and sly comments from their outspoken club president, Joan Laporta. Heard this one before?
Remarkably, it has now been two years since Laporta went on his lever-pulling frenzy, risking the Blaugrana’s future finances for short-term success. And, if the goal was immediate gratification and the avoidance of financial ruin, then it worked. Barca won La Liga, and, as a sporting entity, they still exist. Job done.
However, those problems haven’t gone away. The club’s finances have recovered to an extent—they are no longer perennially flirting with doom—but they don’t have the financial power to compete with Real Madrid or any of the rest of Europe’s top clubs. Read more on Barcelona’s transfer strategy
Barcelona's Familiar Summer Transfer Window
Barcelona’s finances are, admittedly, in a better state than they once were. It was hard to keep track of all the moves Laporta was making two years ago. In effect, he sold future chunks of revenue for short-term cash injections, effectively keeping the club alive by making risky deals. By doing so, he put faith in the Barca brand, betting that organic growth and on-field success would make up the difference. Put another way: Barca were too big to fail.
And in some senses, they have avoided crisis. They posted a net profit over the last financial year and were able to make a signing in January with Vitor Roque—albeit a misguided one. But they are still far below the threshold required to spend freely under La Liga’s strict financial regulations. Laporta and league president Javier Tebas are still exchanging jabs through the media. Meanwhile, no one seems to know if Barca can afford all the big-money moves they have reportedly been flirting with.
Still No Defensive Midfielder
It has been over a year since Sergio Busquets left for Inter Miami, and Barca still haven’t found a way to replace him. Admittedly, there was no point in holding onto an aging No.6 whose legs had gone. It was, in fact, credit to Xavi that he was able to get one last year of quality out of the La Masia academy graduate. Given that Busquets is effectively the modern archetype of the position, it was always going to be a difficult task.
But their efforts have been feeble at best. They struck out on Martin Zubimendi last season and settled for Oriol Romeu—who looked every bit a Southampton reject in a woeful campaign in Catalonia. Xavi ended up using center-back Andreas Christensen as a defensive midfielder—more of an emergency stopgap than a long-term solution. Looking at the team on paper, it is still the biggest problem area to address.
Yet the Blaugrana have refused to do so. Zubimendi reaffirmed his commitment to Real Sociedad this summer, while there has been no substantive talk of other options being pursued. Barca, in short, still haven’t solved their most pressing problem.
The Raphinha Problem
A victim of all of this is Raphinha. The former Leeds man has never been allowed the chance to settle at Camp Nou. First blocked from the XI, then used on the wrong side of the pitch, and later the subject of constant links to other clubs—the Brazilian is yet to convince in Catalonia.
It’s unfair on Raphinha, who can offer immense quality from wide areas and can certainly be an impact player for a big club under the right circumstances. Still, it seems that, once again, Barca could be forced into negotiations to sell him. This is a squad full of young talent but with few genuinely sellable assets that can be moved for a decent price. Raphinha is among them. A bid for his services could comfortably eclipse €40 million (£34m/$43m)—exactly the kind of money-making exercise the cash-strapped Blaugrana need.
None of this seems just, especially for a real talent who proved himself good enough to start for Brazil at Copa America, but Raphinha might be on the way out.
Vitor Roque's Future
There will be a lot of talk in the coming years about how to sum up this era. The lasting symbol—or saga—might be the hectic period towards the end of last season, where Xavi first resigned, then reaffirmed his commitment, and was then sacked by the club.
But from a squad perspective, Vitor Roque might be the perfect embodiment of this tumultuous era. Barca were linked with the exciting Brazilian talent for months, and despite having no apparent money to spend, flirted with the idea of bringing in ‘Tigrinho.’ Eventually, they did, fighting off interest from Arsenal and arch-rivals Real Madrid for his signature. In theory, it seemed like a good move. Robert Lewandowski was aging, and Roque had the kind of talent to carry the Blaugrana front line for years.
But the months after his signature were immensely revealing. Xavi barely used the teenager, instead running Lewandowski into the ground. And when Roque was brought on, he was deployed out of position or afforded too little time to make an impact. It became clear that Xavi didn’t want Roque; his signature was forced through by sporting director Deco. And now, Roque could be on his way out, with the club reportedly fielding offers for his services from Saudi Arabian teams and other European clubs.
Dani Olmo: A Glimmer of Hope or a Misguided Move for Barcelona?
Amidst their ongoing financial struggles, Barcelona seem poised to secure a deal. The Blaugrana are reportedly close to signing Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig. The Euro 2024 star has been eyeing a move, and returning to his La Masia roots seems fitting.
Yet, the hefty price tag attached to Olmo raises questions. RB Leipzig are demanding a package worth €60 million (£51m/$65m)—a sum Barcelona may struggle to afford.
Even if they manage to pull it off, Olmo might not be the ideal fit. As an attacking midfielder or false nine, his addition would bolster an already crowded position. With Ilkay Gundogan, Pedri, Gavi, and Fermin Lopez capable of filling those roles, bringing in Olmo might be redundant. Deploying him on the left could misuse his creative talents.
Barcelona’s room for maneuvering is limited, and this major transfer gamble appears miscalculated. Despite a new summer, the club continues to grapple with the same issues of hubris and mismanagement.
