Olmo’s season at risk as Barça to miss deadline

Barcelona’s Financial Struggles Threaten Dani Olmo’s Future

As the clock ticks down to the end of the year, Barcelona finds itself in a precarious position regarding the future of one of its key players, Dani Olmo. The Catalan club is facing the possibility of losing Olmo for the second half of the season due to financial fair play regulations imposed by LaLiga. The league has stated that Barcelona is not currently in a position to extend Olmo’s registration ahead of the looming deadline.

Olmo, who is 26 years old, made his move to Barça in the summer. He was granted a temporary registration until December 31, which was intended to give the club time to align with the league’s financial fair play rules and secure his registration through the summer. However, as the deadline approaches, it appears that Barça has not provided LaLiga with the necessary assurances to meet these regulations.

In a statement, LaLiga said, “As of Dec. 31, Barcelona have not presented any alternative, in accordance with LaLiga’s economic rules, that allow the registration of players from Jan. 2.” This statement underscores the gravity of the situation for Barcelona, which has been scrambling to find a solution.

Barcelona has responded by releasing their own statement, indicating that they have requested the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to grant new licenses for both Olmo and striker Pau Victor, who is in a similar predicament. However, the RFEF rules present a significant hurdle: players cannot be re-registered with the same team for the second time in the same season.

A source informed ESPN that Barcelona plans to provide a more detailed explanation of their request to the RFEF and hopes to resolve the issue by January 3. Until then, the futures of Olmo and Victor remain uncertain, with a source from the RFEF stating, “We cannot process any licence without prior approval from LaLiga.”

Adding to the complexity, Olmo’s contract includes a clause that would allow him to leave for free if he is not registered for the second half of the campaign. Despite this, sources have consistently told ESPN that neither the club nor the player is considering this option. Nevertheless, reports have surfaced that several English and German teams are closely monitoring Olmo’s situation, potentially eyeing a January move should he become available.

Olmo’s agent, Andy Bara, has reiterated that the forward is committed to Barcelona. “The decision made by Dani is to stay at Barcelona as he wants to play for Barça,” Bara told reporters. “We are not considering any other option. Dani wants to play for Barcelona.”

Barcelona has been exploring various avenues to secure the registrations of Olmo and Victor as the deadline looms. The club has faced setbacks, losing two court hearings against LaLiga’s interpretation of the rules. This legal route had previously been successful when they promoted Gavi to the first team in 2023.

In a bid to generate the necessary funds, Barcelona moved forward with a plan to sell VIP boxes and seating at the Spotify Camp Nou, which is currently undergoing renovations. Sources told ESPN that a deal worth around €100 million had been agreed upon, which would have allowed them to register Olmo and Victor while complying with the league’s financial rules. However, the league’s statement on Tuesday suggests there may have been issues with the documentation, proof of payment, or that the deal was simply not accepted.

Olmo joined Barcelona from RB Leipzig for approximately €60 million in the summer. He missed the first two games of the season unregistered before Barcelona took advantage of a rule allowing them to temporarily use up to 80% of the salary due to an injured player on an alternative. An Achilles injury to Andreas Christensen provided enough room within the club’s LaLiga-imposed spending cap to register Olmo, albeit on a temporary basis.

All Spanish clubs are subject to an annual limit set by the league, which is roughly determined by the difference between a team’s revenue minus non-sporting outgoings and debt repayments. Barcelona’s limit has risen to €426 million for the current campaign, but they remain in excess of that amount, necessitating compliance with certain restrictions when registering new additions.

Olmo, who came through Barcelona’s academy before leaving as a 16-year-old, has been a valuable asset this season, scoring six goals in 15 appearances. As the deadline looms, Barcelona’s ability to retain him for the remainder of the season hangs in the balance.

• Barcelona faces financial fair play challenges.
• Dani Olmo’s registration is at risk.
• Potential interest from English and German clubs.
• Barcelona’s efforts to secure funds through VIP sales.
• Olmo’s commitment to staying at Barcelona.