Superpower soccer teams are gearing up for next season as European transfer season begins to heat up. Two free transfers have already been set up by La Liga runners-up Barcelona: Andreas Christensen of Chelsea and Franck Kessie of Milan.
The difficulty is that the club's finances are in such disarray that it is unable to recruit the desired players. Even though club president Joan Laporta has protested the laws of La Liga, any transfer transaction will be contingent on Barca bringing in funds to free up space inside their spending budget.
"We don't have any support from La Liga. The fair play rules are too restrictive and demanding compared to other countries and it's a handicap. We respect the rules but feel they are too strict compared to other countries. La Liga, instead of helping, try to harm us. It really surprises me," complained Laporta in May.
Barcelona make free transfer promise to Mohamed Salah
After Mohamed Salah's contract at Liverpool runs out next summer, Barcelona have allegedly offered him the chance to join them, as per the English outlet Mirror. With just 12 months left on his current deal, the Egyptian attacker, who turns 30 on June 15, seems to be unlikely to sign a new agreement with the Reds.
Although he told close friends a few months ago that he was willing to prolong his time in Merseyside, the striker has yet to commit to a new contract due in part to the Blaugrana factor, the report adds.
Meanwhile, the Catalan giants are aiming to strengthen their squad after Spotify's €280 million naming rights contract, which has given them a boost. In addition, the sale of the e-commerce platform Barca Licensing & Merchandising, together with future TV rights sales, is expected to net them an additional €700 million.
It is unclear whether or not Liverpool will let the Egyptian ace play out his contract, despite the forward's insistence that he is committed to another season with the Premier League side even if he doesn't renew. That might compel Barcelona or other interested clubs to expose their hand early, which is not ideal for manager Jurgen Klopp.
