Barcelona: Joan Laporta admits they can’t sign players in January due to financial fair play

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed he is trying to convince LaLiga to be more flexible after admitting they cannot make any signings in January.

The Catalan giants have spent more than £130m to bolster their side over the January transfer window and are going into the World Cup break two points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table.

Their push for a first title since 2019 seems to have taken a hit, however, after Laporta claimed they can’t get anyone through the door in January.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta (left) has admitted the club is currently unable to make any signings in the January transfer window, which is a blow to manager Xavi (right).

He told reporters as per ESPN: ‘We had to use some leverage, that was economic operations that saved the club from collapse, and with the club recovering economically, it is now healthy with an expected income of €1,225b (£1bn), a profit also budgeted for €274 million (£240 million), but nevertheless we cannot sign under the rules of the financial fair play of the Spanish league.’

However, Laporta admitted that Barcelona, ​​as well as other Spanish sides, are trying to persuade Javier Tebas to change those rules.

He said: “We and some La Liga clubs are also trying to convince LaLiga to be more flexible and allow us other kinds of interpretations that can make Barcelona even stronger.”

Laporta added: “It’s more flexible in the Premier League than in Spain and I’m not really looking forward to it.”

Barcelona sold assets to fund purchases like Robert Lewandowski (pictured) in the summer

To offset losses and comply with LaLiga’s financial fair play rules, the club sold 25% of their domestic television rights and a 49% stake in Barca Studios for more than €700m (£609m).

This allowed Barcelona to strengthen their team with Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde, among others.

The club had budgeted for reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League minimum this season, and a second season in the Europa League will deal a crushing blow to their attempts to consolidate financially after a summer-long mortgaging of the club’s future by selling assets to finance acquisitions.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas discussed whether an early exit from the Champions League would affect their situation Mundo Deportivo: ‘If they go out of the Champions League, they have less income but they don’t have to pay bonuses. That won’t change much.’

Barcelona are at the top of the table, but crashed out of the Champions League in the group stage

The LaLiga president then outlined the problems: “The levers have worked for them this season, but not for the next.

“They have to reduce the salary bill, they can’t go on with more than 500 million euros.”

Barcelona are trying to force some club legends to leave as soon as possible to help restore their finances.

Gerard Pique recently retired, while players like Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Sergio Roberto could leave the club at the end of the season.