Barcelona president Joan Laporta is trying to convince LaLiga chiefs to relax their FFP rules so they can spend in January after admitting there will be no new signings under current restrictions
- Joan Laporta has revealed that Barcelona at present can’t sign anyone in January
- The club had a busy summer in which they spent in excess of £130m on players
- He is attempting to convince LaLiga to be more ‘flexible’ with their FFP rules
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed he’s trying to convince LaLiga to be more flexible with their financial fair play rules after admitting his club cannot make any signings in January.
The Catalan giants spent over £130million to improve Xavi’s side during the summer and went into the World Cup break two points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table.
However, their push for a first title since 2019 has appeared to have taken a dent after Laporta claimed they can’t bring anyone through the door in January because of the current financial restrictions.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta (left) has admitted the club won’t be able to make signings in the January transfer window in a blow to manager Xavi (right)
He told reporters as per ESPN: ‘We had to use some levers, which were economic operations that saved the club from ruin, and now the club is in economic recovery.
‘It is now healthy with an expected income of €1.225b (£1bn) and a profit also budgeted for €274m (£240m).
‘But, despite that, according to the rules of the financial fair play of the Spanish league, we cannot sign.’
Laporta though did concede that Barcelona, as well as other Spanish sides, are attempting to persuade LaLiga chief Javier Tebas to relax those rules.
He said: ‘We and some LaLiga clubs are also trying to convince LaLiga to be more flexible and allow us other types of interpretations that can make Barcelona strengthen itself even more.’
Laporta then added: ‘It is more flexible in the Premier League than in Spain and it doesn’t make much sense to me.’
Barcelona sold assets to help fund signings like Robert Lewandowski (pictured) in the summer
To offset losses and comply with LaLiga’s financial fair play rules, the club sold 25 per cent of their domestic television rights and a 49 per cent…