Barcelona are racing against time to free up space within their LaLiga salary cap to ensure Dani Olmo remains registered for 2025, according to reports.
Olmo, who joined from RB Leipzig in the summer, initially missed the opening two matches of the season due to delays in his LaLiga registration caused by Barcelona’s ongoing financial struggles.
His registration was eventually processed on a temporary basis, taking advantage of the injury exemption granted following Andreas Christensen’s long-term absence.
If Barcelona fails to reduce their spending below LaLiga’s €426 million salary cap by January, Olmo will be ineligible to play in the latter half of the season.
Striker Pau Victor, another summer recruit from Girona, is in a similar predicament.
Adding to the urgency is a reported clause in Olmo’s contract which could allow him to leave the club for free if he cannot be registered by the start of 2025.
🚨 Dani Olmo may not be able to play for Barcelona in La Liga for the rest of the season. 😯🔵🔴
The Spanish midfielder has been provisionally registered and can play in the league until December 31.
The Spanish club still have 3 weeks to register him DEFINITIVELY but if they… pic.twitter.com/mdZna6fPEf
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) December 10, 2024
This type of clause has become more frequent in contracts at Barcelona in recent years, first coming to light when Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie signed with the club in 2022.
Despite currently exceeding their cap, Barcelona can reinvest a percentage of any savings or revenue they generate into player registrations.
Barcelona’s recent announcement of a new deal with kit supplier Nike is expected to provide a financial boost.
However, the agreement is contingent on approval by club members, with a vote scheduled for December 21.
In addition to the Nike partnership, reports indicate Barcelona is negotiating a 20-year deal to sell the rights to the VIP boxes at the Spotify Camp Nou, which is undergoing renovation.
If other options fail, sources suggest the club may consider a last-resort solution: a personal financial guarantee from one of Barcelona’s board members to secure the registrations of Olmo and Victor.
For now, the club is focused on addressing their financial hurdles to avoid losing a key player like Olmo mid-season, as well as preserving the talent they’ve worked hard to bring into the squad.
