Barcelona have taken La Liga to court in a desperate attempt to ensure star midfielder Dani Olmo can play for the club in 2025.
The former La Masia talent had to wait until the third week of the season to make his official debut, coming off the bench to score a late winner against Rayo Vallecano and celebrating with a gesture tapping his imaginary watch. This delay was caused by Barcelona’s struggle to comply with La Liga’s stringent financial regulations. The club could only register Olmo after Andreas Christensen suffered a serious injury, allowing Barcelona to reallocate 80% of an injured player’s salary for a new player under La Liga rules.
Now that Christensen has recovered, the temporary fix will expire when Olmo’s six-month contract ends on December 31. In response, Barcelona has filed for a “precautionary measure” in court, seeking permission to register Olmo in January, according to Spanish outlet Marca.
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The court will hear the appeal on Monday, December 23, with a ruling expected by Friday, December 27.
If the court does not grant the extension, Barcelona would have to start the registration process from scratch and face the risk of Olmo leaving as a free agent, as his contract reportedly includes a clause that would allow him to walk away if not registered.
Should the extension be granted, Barcelona may look to free up space in their budget by selling players during the January transfer window. The club had hoped a recent sponsorship deal with Nike would solve the issue, but the funds have proven insufficient. Additionally, Barcelona was unable to use the same strategy with injury relief, as the funds opened up by Marc-André ter Stegen’s absence had already been used to register Wojciech Szczesny mid-season.
As a last resort, the Barcelona board has offered a personal bank guarantee, putting their own money at risk. According to The Athletic, Barcelona needs approximately €60 million to meet La Liga’s salary cap. When pressed on the matter earlier this month, sporting director Deco snapped at reporters but maintained, “We can surely register Dani Olmo before the end of the year.”