Barcelona owe €102 million in wages to two captains – report

A shocking report from ARA has offered an update on Barcelona’s economic situation as we head into the final few weeks of the summer transfer window.

The report delves deep into the economic condition after the activation of the fourth lever that helped the club register all their new signings, barring Jules Kounde.

It appears Barça are looking to further reduce their inflated wage budget by lowering the salary of a few of the veterans in the squad, including Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets.

However, even though the club and the players have been in talks for weeks, they are yet to receive an agreement. And according to ARA, there are certain reasons that are playing a key role in stalling the progress.

The report points out how Barcelona owe a staggering combined total of €102 million to the two players in the form of deferred and current salaries.

In the case of Busquets, the club have to pay €50 million to him next season, including the deferred wages.

But the player has agreed to distribute the amount throughout the additional years of the contract he is going to renew, meaning Barça can afford not to settle the score right now.

Moreover, Busquets is likely to depart the club in 2023, even though the midfielder’s new contract could see him sign a deal up to 2024 or even 2025.

As for Pique, the situation is a lot trickier. Barcelona owe the veteran defender a fee of around €52 million, which is quite a significant amount for the club, especially for a player who is not even a guaranteed starter in the new season.

Indeed, Pique has lost his prominence in the team after the arrivals of Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen.

The veteran will have to fight hard for a place in the first team and that is where the problem originates, with the player knowing he will have to jump ship sooner rather than later.