CEM REPORT | Barcelona Football Club has made two key signings to strengthen the sides for the forthcoming season, however, they have done this amidst a financial crisis.
The Liga giants’ account is not in the best of shapes as it used to be, although the club’s president Joan Laporta has pulled in funds for the club to use in the summer transfer window.
The Catalans spent €59m (£50m/$59m) on Raphinha and €50m (£42m/$51m) to sign Lewandowski from Bayern Munich this summer but with the state of their account,t many wonder how they sealed the deal.
Commenting on the departure of Lewandowski to Barcelona, Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann described Barcelona as a club that buys players without money.
“It’s the only club in the world that can buy players without money. It’s kind of weird and crazy.”
In 2021, Barca posted debts of €1.35 billion (£1.16bn/$1.42bn), to balance their books, officials voted at an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) in June to permit the sale of a portion of 49.9 percent of the club’s TV rights and Licensing and Merchandising (BLM) to reduce their huge debt and raise enough funds to build a strong team for the future.
So far, the club has raised a total of €582m (£495m/$591) by selling 25 per cent of the club’s La Liga TV rights for the next 25 years to a global investment firm named Sixth Street.
Recall that CEM reported that Barca first sold 10 percent to the firm and brought in around €267m (£229m/$277m). Later, the firm increased its stake by a further 15 per cent, which fetched Barcelona an additional €315m.
The business at Barcelona has also affected several players, including Frenkie de Jong, and many others listed for a clear-out sale.
