Barcelona face more transfer uncertainty as La Liga confirm new salary cap

Barcelona’s salary cap now stands at only one-third of Real Madrid’s.

La Liga clubs have discovered their new salary caps after the closure of the January transfer window. The salary limit for Barcelona has been drastically reduced from €270 million to €204 million as the Catalans struggle for financial stability.

This reduction marks a continuous decline in Barcelona’s salary cap over the past few years. Despite efforts to streamline their expenditures, Barcelona’s salary bill currently stands at around €400 million, well above the newly imposed limit.

The disparity in financial resources between Barcelona and their rivals, particularly Real Madrid, is significant. While Barcelona grapples with a reduced cap, Real Madrid boasts the highest cap in La Liga at €727 million.

Earlier this season, La Liga president Javier Tebas said of Barca’s financial situation: “It has improved a lot. They have made an effort in their salary bill. I think they still have to make an effort for next season.”

Barcelona’s ability to make signings in the upcoming transfer windows remains uncertain, with the club potentially needing to offload key players to adhere to the salary cap regulations.

Last summer, the club activated multiple financial levers to ease their financial woes. However, the pressure has increased on the Catalans to sell the likes of Ronald Araujo and Frenkie de Jong before the 2024-25 campaign.