The financial dilemma at FC Barcelona is one that has been well documented and well addressed over the last couple of seasons, and the after-effects of irresponsible economic management continue to linger today.
With the departure of French winger Ousmane Dembele to Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain seeming more and more likely as the hours go by, the consequences of this transfer on the ability to spend for Barcelona will vary based on a few alterations.
As per Ramon Fuentes of Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, the original scenario that currently exists is that Barcelona will have to abide by the ruling of only utilizing 40% of the generated amount that they are subjected to if the Catalan club loses Dembele to PSG for his current €50 million release clause.
As per the prior agreement, Barcelona will receive only 50% of this settled release clause, meaning a generation of only €25 million from the €50 million that PSG would pay if the deal is sealed before the 1st of August.
Consequently, only 40% of this value would be able to be used by Barcelona for new signings or registration issues, which would roughly translate to around €10 million in value.
However, if the Catalans are able to sell the French winger after the 31st of July and within the month of August, that value would increase to €100 million as per the prior agreement of the evolution of the player’s release clause, out of which the Catalan club will get to retain the entirety of the sum rather than distribute 50% of it with the player’s agents.
With the hypothetical acquisition of this €100 million, Barcelona would then consequently be able to use 40% of this value, which would translate to €40 million, rather than 40% of the original €25 million that would be received by the club if the player were to be sold before August.
However, there is another possibility that could see the amount allocated towards transfer-related operations rise even higher.
At the moment, Barcelona are still subjected to the salary books that contain the earnings of ex-veterans Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. According to these evaluations, Dembele’s current salary amounts to around 3% of the total salary mass.
However, upon the assessment of the new values that will be adjusted that would exclude the former players’ salaries and integrate those of the new signings such as Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez, the percentage of Dembele’s salary within the overall salary mass could reach 5% or beyond.
Consequently, if under the new assessment of the Barcelona salary mass, one that succeeds the last evaluation in January, Dembele’s salary reaches or exceeds 5% of the total salary mass, Barcelona will possibly be able to utilize 60% rather than 40% of the funds generated from his departure.
The reasoning behind this is mainly the new set of regulations that the offices of La Liga have agreed to in unison with the backing of the Spanish division’s various clubs. As per the rulings, if a player who represents 5% or more of the salary mass at their respective club departs said club, the entity can then utilize 60% rather than 40% of the funds generated by the sale of the concerned player.
Considering that the combined salaries of the new additions will be noticeably less than what was being earned by the previously mentioned veterans, it is expected that Ousmane Dembele’s earnings of €23 million gross per season could amount to more than the 3% that they currently represent within the total salary mass.
The scenario would only exist for said 60% utilization of €100 million in generated funds if Barcelona are able to complete the departure in the month of August rather than on the final day of July, as well as be eligible to consider Dembele’s salary as at least 5% or more of the current overall salary mass.
However, in the case that the €50 million release clause is paid while on the current valuation of salaries in the books, they would only be allowed to utilize 40% of the funds generated by a player who represents only 3% of the total salary mass, rather than the 5% or above that the new set of La Liga regulations refer to.
