Barcelona signed Alonso and Bellerin on one-year deals due to last-minute FFP problems

Barcelona completed two late transfer deals this past summer, securing the signings of Spanish full-back duo Hector Bellerin and Marcos Alonso on free transfers, after the pair terminated their contracts with Arsenal and Chelsea, respectively.

Bellerin, a former La Masia trainee, returns to the club to provide options at right-back following the exit of Sergino Dest. Alonso, meanwhile, has been signed to strengthen the left-back slot as Xavi and his coaching staff have seemingly lost faith in Jordi Alba.

Both Bellerin and Alonso, though, have signed short-term contracts with Barcelona which last just one year. Indeed, the Spanish full-backs will be out of contract on June 30, 2023 as per the current arrangement.

Now, Catalunya Radio has shed some light on the rationale behind Barça handing Bellerin and Alonso just a one-year contract.

As per the report, the Catalan heavyweights encountered some late problems with Financial Fair Play which would have made registering Bellerin and Alonso difficult. As a result, they agreed just one-year deals with a very low salary with the pair.

The report further adds that Barcelona will begin negotiations over extensions and improved wages for Alonso and Bellerin starting January.

In case of Alonso, the commitment to prolong the contract is guaranteed. For Bellerin, who is earning less than half of his wages at Arsenal, an extension would be dependent on the number of minutes he receives over the course of the campaign.

Barcelona are already planning to splash the cash on a new right-back next summer, with AS Monaco’s Brazilian ace Vanderson a target. So, it will be interesting to see if they decide to extend Bellerin’s contract beyond its current duration.