Mueez Ajao
– Barcelona have registered four of their new signings in time for their first game of the season on Saturday.
– The Spanish club were unable to register new players because of La Liga financial regulations, but freed up funding with several ‘economic levers’.
– The fourth was activated on Friday and, now ratified by La Liga, Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha can face Rayo Vallecano.
Barca have registered Kessie, Lewandowski, Raphina and Andreas Christensen for tomorrow's La Liga opener with Rayo Vallecano.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) August 12, 2022
Also Read: Barcelona activate fourth economic lever in bid to register new signings
– But the club are still waiting on France defender Jules Kounde.
🚨🚨✅| Jules Koundé will be officially registered next week.@Alfremartinezz [🎖️]
— Managing Barça (@ManagingBarca) August 12, 2022
– The restriction also applied to players who have renewed their contracts this summer, namely Ousmane Dembele and Sergi Roberto, but both have also been registered.
🚨🚨✅| OFFICIAL: Ousmane Dembélé & Sergi Roberto have been registered!
— Managing Barça (@ManagingBarca) August 12, 2022
🚨✅| Official: Sergi Roberto and Ousmane Dembele have been registered. #fcblive
— BarçaTimes (@BarcaTimes) August 12, 2022
Dembélé and Roberto. ✅️ pic.twitter.com/EsI0V1EUAr
— Barça Buzz (@Barca_Buzz) August 12, 2022
– In order for Kounde to be registered, Barcelona will need to free up ‘salary mass’.
– The club’s levers have involved selling shares of their future television rights and their media production unit Barca Studios.
– On Friday, they sold an additional 24.5% of Barca Studios to Orpheus Media for 100m euros (£84.6m), which was expected to generate even revenue to satisfy La Liga and allow Barca to register at least some of their new players.
– Speaking at his media conference on Friday, coach Xavi said Barca were “still working on it”, and had until two hours before kick-off for the registrations to be confirmed.
– Barca open their new campaign at home to Rayo Vallecano.
