Barcelona’s latest signing, Dani Olmo, will not be able to participate in the upcoming LaLiga fixture against Athletic Club due to the club’s ongoing financial struggles. Despite completing a transfer from RB Leipzig for a hefty fee of €55 million, Olmo’s registration has been delayed as Barcelona continues to exceed the league’s annual spending limit. This restriction, imposed on all Spanish clubs, is calculated based on a team’s revenue, non-sporting expenses, and debt repayments. As a result, Barcelona must make adjustments to their wage bill or increase revenue in order to register new players like Olmo.
In a last-minute attempt to have Dani Olmo available for selection, Barcelona has been working on offloading several players. Among them are Ilkay Gündogan, Clément Lenglet, Mikayil Faye, and Vitor Roque. Gündogan has already sealed a move to Manchester City, while Lenglet is set to extend his contract with Barcelona until 2027 before joining Atlético Madrid on loan for the season. Faye, on the other hand, is expected to join Rennes in a deal worth €14 million, with additional clauses allowing Barcelona to potentially re-sign him in the future. Roque, who failed to secure a spot in the first team after a €35 million transfer, will be loaned out to Real Betis.
In other team news, midfielder Fermín López has earned a spot in Barcelona’s squad for the first time this season after returning from a successful stint with Spain at the European Championships and the Olympic Games. However, Andreas Christensen will be sidelined for several weeks due to an Achilles injury, leaving Barcelona without his services. Manager Hansi Flick expressed concerns about Christensen’s ability to contribute to the team given his recurring injury issues in the past. Additionally, long-term absentees Ronald Araújo, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, and Ansu Fati are still unavailable for selection.
The absence of Dani Olmo due to registration issues and the injury setbacks faced by key players like Andreas Christensen pose significant challenges for Barcelona as they prepare to face Athletic Club. While the club has made efforts to address its financial constraints by offloading players, the impact of these changes on the team’s overall performance remains to be seen. With important fixtures looming on the horizon, Barcelona will need to find solutions to their registration woes and injury concerns in order to compete effectively in LaLiga and other competitions.
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