FC Barcelona’s ‘Economic Levers’ Partners Fail To Pay Up: Reports

The two companies that bought stakes in FC Barcelona’s media arm Barca Studios last summer, so that the club could pull their famous ‘economic levers’, have failed to meet the first payments as agreed according to COPE.

Barca sold 49% of Barca Studios in 2022, which was evenly split with 24.5% each for Socios.com and Orpheus Media.

The agreements were worth €100 million ($109 million) separately, and the extraordinary income allowed Barca to make signings of new players such as Raphinha, Jules Kounde and Robert Lewandowski and also register their contracts.

This was possible despite the two companies paying just €10 million ($10.9 million) each to start out, with three payments of €30 million ($32.7 million) set to be met at a later date.

The first installment should have been paid on June 15 this year according to COPE, but both Socios.com and Orpheus Media asked to postpone their payments until the end of the year.

Barca’s Vice President of the economic area Eduard Romeu reportedly approved the delay and understood that it is common in this type of business.

Furthermore, the delay in payments was foreseen and included in the viability plan Barca had to present to La Liga to prove they will have the means to buy and register new players ahead of the 2023/2024 season.

This means that the development shouldn’t affect the club’s navigation of Financial Fair Play limits or the transfers they are currently trying to pull off.

At the moment, Barca are preparing to register former Athletic Club defender Inigo Martinez, and reportedly have agreements in principle to sign young talents Arda Guler and Vitor Roque.

While Guler should cost €17.5 million ($19 million) from Fenerbahce but only a small amount of that sum should initially be due, Roque will cost a higher €35 million ($38 million) which can be spread into three payments ahead of a possible €10 million ($10.9 million) more going out in incentives.

Still, there is no doubt that the €60 million ($65 million) owed by Socios.com and Orpheus would have been handy as Barca are limited in the operations they can complete.

The amount would have also looked nice in the books ahead of the close of the financial year on June 30.

But if it arrives before the end of the calendar year, it may give Barca a boost in the winter transfer market mid-season while also making their finances look healthier come June 30, 2024 ahead of the summer window opening on the road to 2024/2025.