Barcelona has until Saturday to register its new signings in LaLiga. If the Catalans fail to achieve a significant cut in payroll costs within that time, Memphis Depay, Emerson Royal and Eric García will not be allowed to compete against Real Sociedad. Barcelona are still looking for a solution, but the prospects are not rosy.
Friday evening at 11.59 pm, the list of players must be handed in for the opening match in the Spanish league, at home against Real Sociedad on Sunday. Barcelona have exceeded the salary cap in LaLiga and must remove players from the payroll to enroll the new signings. According to ASH the salary burden has now been reduced to 95 percent of the club’s income. That has to be 73 percent to comply with LaLiga rules.
Barcelona hopes to solve the problem by saying goodbye to its high earners Samuel Umtiti and/or Miralem Pjanic. Barça fans had been targeting both players during the Trofeo Joan Gamper against Juventus (3-0 win) on Sunday evening. Umtiti was whistled by the fans during his presentation and every contact with the ball and was subsequently not present at the award ceremony. Pjanic also had to deal with flute concerts by its own supporters.
According to Mundo Deportivo it doesn’t look like Barcelona will get rid of Umtiti any time soon. In principle, the Frenchman wants to serve out his contract until mid-2023, unless a club comes for him that competes for prizes. Furthermore, Pjanic is in the interest of Juventus, but the Italian superpower is targeting, according to ASH especially on the arrival of Manuel Locatelli from Sassuolo.
By the way, the final entry period in LaLiga closes on August 31. Until then, Barcelona has to reduce its salary costs and to also be able to register Sergio Aguero. Barca are in a little less hurry with this than with Depay, Emerson and García, because Aguero is out for ten weeks due to a calf injury and therefore cannot play before November anyway.
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