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Barcelona’s financial fair play battle appears to be close to crossing an important milestone. According to SPORT, the club is now just 14 million euros short of meeting the 1:1 rule. Achieving this would let Barcelona reinvest every euro they free up or generate into registrations and transfers, a scenario that they were not close to achieving a few months ago.
Frenkie de Jong’s renewal until 2029 stands out as one of the key maneuvers. By spreading the costs of his transfer over a longer period, Barcelona have eased immediate pressure on their accounts while keeping the Dutch midfielder in the squad for the long term.
Unexpected events have also helped. Gavi’s serious injury and the club’s choice not to sign a replacement freed around nine million euros. New commercial partnerships finalized late in 2025 further strengthened the club’s income projections, edging them closer to compliance.
Marc-André ter Stegen is expected to provide the final boost. His loan to Girona is reportedly agreed, with Girona covering roughly 15 to 20 percent of the goalkeeper’s remaining half-season salary. SPORT calculates this will save Barcelona about 1.5 million euros over six months, a small-but-useful contribution in a tight budget.
Just a few months ago, the situation looked very different. In October, Barcelona were reportedly 36 million euros away from the 1:1 rule because revenue from VIP seat licenses at the new Camp Nou had not yet been fully recognized. Most of that money has now been collected, though the auditor advised waiting to count some installments until early 2026. Once finalized, Barcelona would need only a few million more to reach full compliance, a gap that could come from additional VIP seat deals or small player sales.
The club reportedly plans to exercise the option to buy Marcus Rashford for 30 million euros and aims to extend Ferran Torres’s contract beyond 2027. Robert Lewandowski’s future remains uncertain; despite scoring regularly, his age, high wages, and interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia and the U.S. make a departure likely.
Lewandowski’s exit would mean a need to reinforce their attack. Targets include Julián Álvarez and Harry Kane, though both would require major investment. To get players of that caliber, 1:1 compliance will be almost necessary. If they don’t reach 1:1 status, more affordable alternatives could be considered instead.