Barcelona activate €180 million economic lever, La Liga have approved operation

In a big development, Gerard Romero has reported that Barcelona have activated an economic lever that will see them rake in a massive amount of €180 million in exchange for a 49% stake in Barça Studios.

The investment is set to come from Mountain Nazca, a private equity fund manager from Mexico, who will buy the aforementioned share in Barça Studios and put €180 million into the club, of which €30 million will be paid this summer itself.

The operation has already been approved by La Liga.

It must be noted that the 49% share that has been sold does not come from the 51% majority ownership that the club held.

Instead, Barcelona are re-selling the same 49% stake that they had sold last summer. Indeed, as a lever, the Blaugrana had sold 24.5% of the shares to Orpheus Media and Socios.com each in exchange for €100 million from each company.

However, the club had received only €10 million each from the aforementioned organizations in payments, with the rest due in instalments over three years.

But with neither company paying the €30 million instalment this year in due time, Barça were forced to look at other options.

An agreement with a German investor for a 16% stake in exchange for €60 million was close, but it stalled last week, leading to more concerns.

Now, though, Barça have an agreement with Mountain Nazca for the 49% stake that they had initially sold to Orpheus Media and Socios.com, who will be to give up their stake, with Barcelona pocketing €180 million from the deal.

Of that €180 million, €30 million is expected to arrive this summer itself, which, coupled with the sales of Ousmane Dembele and Franck Kessie, should help the club register players and potentially invest in more signings.