FC Barcelona keeps moving forward in the regeneration of its battered finances. Four years ago, Joan Laporta won the presidential elections at the club, becoming Bartomeu's successor. He found devastated accounts, a multi-billion euro debt, and salaries completely out of any reasonable scale. This has resulted in, up to today, Barça having been paying deferred salaries to several former players, among whom was Leo Messi.
A historic debt ends
Culemanía has discovered that Barcelona will make this coming Monday the last deferred payment to Messi: €5.95 million ($5.95 million). The debt will end this June 30, coinciding with the close of the financial year.
There are not only deferrals with the "10" who is now at Inter Miami. Current teammates of Leo Messi such as Busquets or Jordi Alba will also receive their last payments. In the case of the midfielder, this will be €1.18 million ($1.18 million), while the full-back will receive slightly less than one million (slightly less than €1 million).
There are also several players in the current Barcelona squad who agreed to defer their salaries some time ago. This June 30, the debt with them will end. These are Ronald Araújo, Iñaki Peña, Pedri, and Ansu Fati. In these cases, the amounts are much smaller.
With these well-known deferrals coming to an end, other former Barcelona players will receive their last owed payments in the coming hours. These are Samuel Umtiti (€1.2 million) ($1.2 million), Antoine Griezmann (€965,331) ($965,331), Philippe Coutinho (€854,794) ($854,794), Ousmane Dembélé (€643,554) ($643,554), Miralem Pjanic (€643,554) ($643,554) and Sergi Roberto (€598,612) ($598,612).
Joan Laporta applauds: Million-euro savings
It has been a complicated period, but Joan Laporta has managed in these four years to keep winning titles while reducing total spending. Although this will not impact fair play, it will mean significant savings in the wage bill, facing a final payment of €16 million ($16 million).
Until now, Barça was paying professionals who were not in its squad for salaries owed for years. However, this is now considered finished, representing significant savings that can now be allocated to other things.
Joan Laporta is happy. He is pleased because the economy of FC Barcelona seems to be recovering while the first team remains competitive and the new Spotify Camp Nou is being built. Not even the most optimistic, including Laporta himself, could have imagined these good results.