Two ‘serious reasons’ why Barcelona do not plan to sell big this summer despite interest

Joan Laporta’s recent interview cleared the air on Barcelona’s stand on various fronts ahead of the new season.

One such clarification the club president provided was on the potential sale of big names.

Already sitting in neck-deep water in a financial sense, the Catalans are under pressure to create revenue to be able to sign the players required for next season.

“We have had offers for Alejandro Balde, Fermin, for very important Gavi, Pedri, de Jong, Araujo. But we do not want to sell them. Only with the names I have told you, we would be at a figure of €1 billion in income,” Laporta said in his recent interview, leading many to wonder how the Catalans could afford to go through the summer without sales.

A deeper dive, however, reveals two reasons why selling a big name would not make sense for the Blaugranas.

Reason 1: The sporting project

Several Barcelona players have a gargantuan valuation on the transfer market and have suitors aplenty.

However, it is the norm of the market that younger players with more longevity and a higher ceiling are the ones who attract big values.

Unsurprisingly, Barcelona too see their young stars and La Masia breakouts to be the ones with the most interest.

Barcelona’s new gem in the defense, Pau Cubarsi. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Selling any of Pedri, Gavi, Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi or Ronald Araujo, however, would be nothing short of sabotaging the club’s future sporting project.

A big sale, thus, appears complicated.

Reason 2: FFP complications

While Barcelona do indeed require urgent sales to salvage their financial situation, they only stand to lose by sacrificing a big player as it will reap them no immediate reward.

Barcelona’s salary limit is far beyond the set limit despite wage cuts. Further, Barcelona are still yet to pay the €40 million which was supposed to arrive from Libero, and any generated funds will first go towards the same.

A combination of the two factors, and La Liga’s strict financial rules, implies that Barcelona cannot sign a solid replacement even if they let go of a big name this summer.

In fact, it is likely that they will not be able to sign a replacement at all.

Case study – Explaining the FFP issue

If Barcelona sell Frenkie de Jong for a whopping sum of €100 million come June, they will only be able to utilise a fraction of the funds they save.

(Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

The Catalans will be permitted to utilise 60% of the player’s wages that will go off the book (€18 million per season), computing a figure of €10.6 million.

Further, they would only be able to utilise 35% of the amortised value of the player. With the remaining two seasons of his contract accounting for €24 million of the €100 million received, Barcelona can only utilise 35% of €76 million which accounts for €26.6 million.

The overall saving of €37.4 million, however, will go towards filling the penalty for Libero’s default, giving no room for a new signing.