Barcelona's La Liga woes: Will Dani Olmo play against Valencia?

The arrival of Dani Olmo at Barcelona met great enthusiasm, as the Catalan giants secured the signature of one of Europe’s most promising attacking talents. Olmo, who joined from Leipzig for a hefty $68 million fee, signed a six-year deal with the club. The move fueled hopes of a strong season ahead under new manager Hansi Flick. However, the excitement surrounding his signing has quickly turned to anxiety among Barcelona fans. The club faces significant challenges in registering the Spaniard for the upcoming season.

The Blaugrana’s ongoing financial difficulties have been well-documented over the past few years. The club has been grappling with an inflated wage bill and stringent La Liga financial regulations. Despite making progress in reducing their debts and managing expenses, they are still far from financial stability. This precarious situation has now threatened the registration of their marquee summer signing, Dani Olmo just days before the start of the new La Liga campaign, as per Mundo Deportivo.

The club’s economic constraints reared their heads once again on Monday. The club successfully registered Eric Garcia, Clement Lenglet, and Ansu Fati with La Liga. These registrations were a crucial step in ensuring that these players could feature in the club’s opening match against Valencia this Saturday. However, the registration of Olmo, along with several other players, remains in jeopardy due to the club’s financial limitations.

Need for financial maneuvering

Barcelona’s financial troubles are rooted in their failure to comply with La Liga’s 1:1 rule. It allows clubs to spend one euro for every euro they generate. To return to this rule, the Catalans reportedly need to generate an additional $66 million. This financial shortfall has left the club scrambling to find ways to register Olmo and other recent signings including Vitor Roque and Inigo Martinez.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that the club has already struck a deal worth $44 million with catering and logistics firm Aramark. However, this amount is insufficient to cover the non-payments related to the sale of Barca Vision, a key financial asset. Without raising the remaining $66 million, they risk being unable to register the 26-year-old midfielder and other players.

Newly appointed manager Hansi Flick is understandably concerned about the availability of his squad for the season opener. With Ronald Araujo sidelined due to a long-term injury, Flick is short on center-back options. The registration of Inigo Martinez is thus a top priority. Martinez has impressed during pre-season, and Flick is eager to have him available for the crucial trip to Valencia. However, as of now, Martinez, Olmo, and several other players remain unregistered, casting doubt on their participation.

In addition to Olmo and Martinez, the registration of young talents like Alex Valle, Pablo Torre, and Pau Victor is also pending. These players have shown promise during the preseason. They could be valuable assets for Flick as he looks to make a strong start to his tenure at Barcelona. There is already a lot of pressure on Joan Laporta and Deco to find a financial solution before the season starts, and the uncertainty surrounding the players’ availability only makes things worse.

Potential solutions to get Olmo officially in the Barcelona squad

Barcelona’s options for generating the necessary funds are few. The club faces difficult decisions in the coming days. One potential solution is to sell key players to raise the required $55 million to $66 million. However, this is easier said than done. Many of the club’s valuable assets either have long-term injuries or are unwilling to leave.

Frenkie de Jong, for example, has been the subject of rumors regarding a move away from Camp Nou. However, the Dutch midfielder is reportedly happy at the club and reluctant to depart. Similarly, Ronald Araujo, who commands a significant transfer fee, is out with a hamstring injury. Therefore, it is unlikely that Barcelona could arrange a sale before the transfer window closes.

The club has also explored other avenues, such as negotiating a new deal with Nike, which could provide a much-needed financial boost. However, any such agreement needs completion quickly. The transfer window closes in just a few weeks, leaving Barcelona with little time to maneuver.

If Barcelona fails to register Dani Olmo and other key players in time for the season opener, it would be a significant blow to the club’s ambitions for the 2024-25 campaign. Olmo, in particular, should play a crucial role in the team’s attacking lineup, and his absence would leave a considerable gap. The situation is reminiscent of previous seasons, where new signings such as Memphis Depay, Sergio Aguero, and Ferran Torres also faced delays in registration due to financial constraints.

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