Financial problems prevent Barcelona from registering rookie Ilkay Gundogan and many other players on the list to play in La Liga next season.
According to Mundo Deportivo, only 13 players have been registered by Barca to La Liga for the 2023/24 season, including Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Christensen, Pedri, Gavi, Kessie, Frenkie de Jong, Ferran Torres, Ansu Fati, Robert Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha.
This means rookie Gundogan is not eligible to play next season. Similarly, the Catalan club reached an agreement to recruit Inigo Martinez from Atletico Madrid but is waiting for the financial situation to be resolved before it can be announced.
“The precarious financial situation and the need to cut expenses are leaving a really bleak picture,” AS said .
Marca revealed that before entering the preparation phase for the 2023/24 season, coach Xavi asked the Barca leadership to increase the salaries of assistants. The answer from the Camp Nou team is that Xavi should use his salary increase after the 2022/23 season to pay the assistant team. The above information needs to be verified, but it partly reflects Barca’s difficult financial situation at the moment.
La Liga president, Javier Tebas, warned Barca’s salary fund is exceeding the allowable limit of about 200 million euros in the 2023/24 season. Even after parting with Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba or before, Pique and Antoine Griezmann, Barca’s salary fund has not decreased as desired.
The Camp Nou team has just paid more than 7 million euros for Samuel Umtiti to accept to leave when there are still 3 years of contract left. Many Barca players could continue to be liquidated this summer including Frenkie de Jong, Franck Kessie, Ferran Torres or Clement Lenglet.