FC Barcelona’s Plan To Raise $420 Million To Make New Signings

FC Barcelona are working against the clock to reverse their bleak economic outlook and raise more than $400mn to make new signings and balance the books before June 30.

It is no secret that the Catalans are currently mired in around $1.5bn’s worth of debt and are falling behind the likes of domestic and continental rivals Real Madrid and Manchester City when it comes to having the financial muscle to make top signings and compete for top honors.

To try and rectify this, the club is, as reported on Friday, already beleived to be in talks to sell 49% of Barca Licensing and Merchandising (BLM) to a consortium formed by Fanatics and Investindustrial which would bring in €200mn ($209mn) spread out over 10 years.

News of this development came as a surprise to many, as it was previously thought that there was a deal in the works that pertained to Barca Studios and not BLM.

Yet negotiations in that area of the club are still going ahead too, with Mundo Deportivo explaining on Tuesday that several parties are interested in acquiring 49% in Barca Studios as well for the same amount, which would raise a much-needed €400mn ($418.5mn) in total.

Importantly for president Joan Laporta, these coups pulling off would mean that €400mn comes in as income and half of the amount, €200mn, could be wiped off the club’s debt.

Barca also wouldn’t have to accept the CVC investment fund deal, which keep hopes of the European Super League alive. And even if they had finally signed on the dotted line for the La Liga-wide agreement, only €275mn ($288mn) could have been accounted for as income and just 15% (or €41.25mn/$43.2mn) would have been allocated for signings this summer.

If Frenkie de Jong is sold for the quoted €100mn ($104.8mn), this brings the total raised to €500mn ($523mn) which is over a third of Barca’s debt.

Though they have missed out on Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, this puts the Blaugrana in good stead not to see the next budding prospect that emerges pass them by, at the same time boasting three – Pedri, Gavi and Ansu Fati – on their own books who cost little to nothing.