Barcelona have yet to register Marcos Alonso, Inaki Pena and new signing Inigo Martinez for the 2023/24 La Liga campaign.
Barcelona’s financial struggles have been extensively chronicled in recent years. The failure to properly register Lionel Messi’s contract led to the unfortunate necessity of parting ways with arguably the greatest footballer of all time, who subsequently joined Paris Saint-Germain. This period stands as one of the lowest points in the club’s recent history.
Following these events, Barcelona repeatedly ran afoul of La Liga’s salary cap regulations. In January 2023, the league prevented the club from making any permanent signings. The ongoing summer transfer window also saw the club unable to reacquire Messi due to these financial complications. Messi himself acknowledged that the financial turmoil at Barcelona played a role in his decision not to return to the club.
Despite a net expenditure of -£94.5 million this summer, with only one non-free agent signing in Oriol Romeu for a reported £2.91 million, the club continues to grapple with registering several first-team contracts.
As the new season kicked off, Barcelona encountered registration challenges for Alonso, Pena, and Martinez. Alonso, formerly of Chelsea, inked a new contract with Barcelona in January. Backup goalkeeper Pena renewed his deal just a few months ago in May. However, there hasn’t been sufficient room in Xavi’s squad to include either of them.
Martinez, the center-back who arrived on a free transfer from Athletic Club during the summer, has yet to be registered. An injury sustained during pre-season rendered him unavailable regardless.
Despite the concerns regarding their compliance with regulations, Barcelona remains engaged in pursuing new signings. The club is determined to secure the loan signing of full-back Joao Cancelo from Manchester City. An arrangement has been established with City, stipulating that Barcelona will cover the majority of Cancelo’s wages for the 2023/24 season. Additionally, Barcelona holds an option to make the move permanent for £30 million.
