Barcelona's hands are tied... they can only spend 10 million euros in January

When the January transfer window finally opens, in the first week of 2016, Barcelona will have to keep in mind a limitation that doesn’t come from FIFA (the transfer ban will be over), but from UEFA — the Financial Fair Play rules. Re-formed in 2013, it prevents clubs from overspending. 

Clubs are assessed against break-even requirements, which require them to balance their spending with their revenues and restricts clubs from accumulating debt. They can spend up to five million euros more than they earn per assessment period (three years). However it can exceed this level to a certain limit, if it is entirely covered by a direct contribution/payment from the club owner(s) or a related party. This prevents the build-up of unsustainable debt.

In June 2015, Barça’s deb was around 328 million euros, according to data produced by Deloitte. To comply with the rules, they must reduce that by 15 percent (50 million euros) throughout the course of this season. 

With this in mind, the Catalan club know they can’t make any big signings in the winter market. They will register Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal and will look for new signings, but always with the budget needs in mind. The red lines in place mean Barça can only invest 10 million euros on signing a new player. 

If they spend more than that figure, it could put the board in danger, but they don’t, of course, have to spend. There is an exception, though: If naming rights for the stadium come through as part of the Espai Barça project, it would allow more money to be spent. 

And so the clubs are looking for low-profile signings. Any players of the top level or a high price have been discarded. They want players who are interested in playing at Camp Nou, not in boosting their income. In this sense, a loan move hasn’t been ruled out, as was the case with Edgar Davids back in 2004. If a loan is done, it would be with an option to buy at the end of the loan.

In terms of positions, the club feel it’s most urgent to replace Pedro, who provided back-up to the trident. Noltio, who is the preferred target, has a release clause of 18 million euros, which is too much for the club to spend.