FC Barcelona’s efforts to register Dani Olmo and Pau Victor have hit a significant roadblock. La Liga has officially rejected the club’s latest appeal, further fueling rumors that Olmo could leave the club as a free agent.

On Tuesday morning, La Liga issued a statement confirming Barcelona’s inability to present a viable alternative for registration within the league’s financial regulations. This failure includes delays in documentation tied to the sale of VIP seats at the revamped Spotify Camp Nou, which was expected to fund the registrations. With the December 31 deadline now expired, neither Olmo nor Pau Víctor can be registered to play for Barcelona starting January 1.

“LaLiga reports that, as of today, December 31, FC Barcelona has not presented any alternative that, in compliance with LaLiga’s economic control regulations, would allow it to register any player starting January 2,” read the league’s statement.

This setback leaves the club with a critical decision to make. Dani Olmo, signed just six months ago from RB Leipzig for $65M, could activate his release clause, allowing him to leave as a free agent. This possibility has already sparked interest among major European clubs.

Barça’s last hope: The RFEF

Despite the grim outlook, Barcelona still has one remaining option: turning to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). Shortly after La Liga’s announcement, Barcelona issued their own statement, signaling a potential last-minute solution.

After La Liga’s statement, Barcelona released another statement, showing a light of hope for the fans. “FC Barcelona reports that it has requested a new license from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for players Daniel Olmo and Pau Victor. Furthermore, the Club denies having requested or received any moratorium from any other organization regarding the registration being requested,” states the official statement issued by the Blaugrana club.

Barcelona’s argument hinges on their belief that the rule preventing a player from being registered twice with the same team is outdated and needs revision. Both Olmo and Victor had previously been registered with the team and played matches earlier in the season.

Now, all eyes turn to the RFEF, which represents Barcelona’s final opportunity to resolve the legal and administrative hurdles surrounding these registrations. If unsuccessful, Barcelona risks losing Olmo and further complicating their roster ahead of the season’s second half.