Barcelona only have 30 days to secure immediate replacement for Marc-Andre ter Stegen

Barcelona find themselves in a critical situation regarding their goalkeeper, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who is currently injured and according to a report by Ramon Fuentes in Mundo Deportivo, the club has a 30-day window to secure a replacement due to La Liga regulations. 

This situation arises because Barcelona have exceeded the budget limits set by La Liga, as confirmed by the league in its recent notification regarding Squad Cost Limits.

Fortunately for Barcelona, they can again utilise the provision for long-term injuries, which allows them to sign a replacement for Ter Stegen. This is outlined in Article 77 of the regulations for budget preparation. 

It must be noted that the club has previously taken advantage of this provision this season for players like Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen, as well as last season with Gavi. However, it is also crucial to note that this option comes with a deadline. 

Details of operation

The rules state that while the club can exceed its registration limit, it must request the registration within 30 calendar days from the date of the player’s injury. 

Marc-Andre ter Stegen was injured against Villarreal. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Furthermore, this registration can only be made if a disability of equal or greater duration is expected from the moment the injury occurred. In practical terms, this means that Barcelona can only use 80% of Ter Stegen’s salary to register a replacement goalkeeper who is currently without a club. 

This window closes on October 22, after which the club will lose the opportunity to sign a replacement under these specific conditions.

What if they do not sign?

If Barcelona fail to find a replacement by this deadline, they will have to wait until the winter transfer window to make any signings. During that period, they could pursue a goalkeeper from another team, but the challenge remains that the club is currently over the registration limit. 

For instance, Dani Olmo is only registered until December 31, indicating that Barcelona needs to address its financial situation to register any new signings during the January window. 

The same restrictions would apply to any goalkeeper they hope to sign if they miss the opportunity to register someone now.