Barcelona only €10m away from achieving 1:1 fair play rule – Report | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have been operating under significant financial constraints for several seasons, and one of the clearest consequences has been the difficulty in signing and registering new players under La Liga’s financial fair play regulations.

Since Joan Laporta returned to the presidency, the club has been working toward regaining the so-called 1:1 rule, which would allow Barça to spend the same amount on signings as they generate in income.

The club briefly achieved this objective just over a year ago after selling the exploitation rights to 475 VIP seats at the Spotify Camp Nou for €100 million to New Era Visionary Group and Forta Advisors.

That operation enabled Barcelona to register Pau Víctor and Dani Olmo. However, La Liga later withdrew the 1:1 status after the auditor responsible for reviewing the club’s accounts did not validate that deal, which once again left Barça operating under restrictions.

Despite their frustration, the board accepted the decision and continued working to restore financial normality. Now, according to SPORT, Barcelona are once again very close to reaching the 1:1 rule and are just over €10 million away from doing so ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.

Several recent operations have played a key role in closing that gap. Frenkie de Jong’s contract renewal allowed the club to spread deferred salary payments over more years, while Gavi’s long-term injury and the decision not to sign a replacement generated additional salary margin.

The transfer of Dro to Paris Saint-Germain for €8.2 million has also contributed positively. In parallel, Barcelona have agreed to license the club’s name and crest to a luxury city project in Dubai, an operation that still requires approval from the Assembly of Members and will also see the Barça logo replace UNICEF on the back of the first team shirt in non-Champions League matches.

There are also important developments on the guarantees front. As journalist Marta Ramón explained on RAC 1, the Dro transfer allowed the board to recover a €19 million guarantee previously deposited with La Liga, which had been used last summer to register players such as Roony Bardghji, Wojciech Szczesny, and Gerard Martin. The board still maintains a separate €7 million guarantee related to not meeting the budget for the non-registerable wage bill.

Further good news is expected in the coming months. Club sources indicate that the final step toward fully restoring the 1:1 rule is the receipt of the remaining €30 million from the VIP seats operation. Of the original €100 million deal, Forta Advisors paid €30 million upfront while New Era Visionary Group committed to the remaining €70 million. A total of 40 million euros have already been received, and the final €30 million are scheduled to arrive in June, which would effectively put Barcelona back within the desired financial parameters.

Reaching the 1:1 rule is considered crucial for Barça’s sporting planning as the club aims to strengthen the squad next summer. The priority is to sign at least one major player with a new centre forward and a left-footed centre back identified as the main targets once financial restrictions are finally lifted.