Days after Barcelona lost Gavi for the remainder of the season owing to a serious ACL tear, the sports leadership and the technical staff conducted a thorough analysis and it is believed that they agreed to bring in a new player to compensate for the absence of the young midfielder.
Amidst all this, the latest financial control regulations implemented by La Liga gave Barça an opportunity to sign a new player, but within the salary that can constitute up to 80% of Gavi’s remaining earnings until the season
Barcelona given hope for Vitor Roque
But yesterday afternoon the club received a communication from La Liga that Vitor Roque could also be registered once the transfer window opens on 1 January 2024 by making use of the space created by Gavi’s injury.
This means Barcelona will now have to choose between signing Roque and acquiring a new midfielder in January. At the same time, though, whatever decision Barça make, they must notify La Liga of their decision within 30 days of Gavi’s injury, reports Mundo Deportivo.
It was believed that if the €40 million to be paid by Libero were not received in one way or another, Vitor Roque would not arrive at Barça in January and would have to wait until July. Now the situation can change with the OK from La Liga without the need for the lever.
As of today, there is no immediate pressure to make a decision, although should the preference lean towards a midfielder, Xavi has long harboured an interest in Giovani Lo Celso, although it must be noted that Tottenham will not make things easy for the Catalans.
What next for Barcelona?
Barcelona must now assess their situation and evaluate whether the available resources can cover for Gavi and if it is preferable to bring forward the arrival of Vitor Roque, something that was already a clear objective of Xavi and Deco before this week’s events.
Before that, the club had been anticipating the receipt of the outstanding €40 million related to the sale of a 9.8% stake in Bridgeburg Invest, the entity overseeing Barça Studios, before December 31.
Barça, having now learned of this development regarding Roque from La Liga late yesterday, are keen on receiving the affirmation in writing.
Now, Roque donning the Barcelona kit in January wouldn’t have been made possible if the team had failed to generate those €40 million. However, the scenario may now take a turn for the good as La Liga’s approval eliminates the necessity for the funds from the ‘lever.’
