Tense calm over Gundogan’s Barca registration clause

Barça start the league season next Sunday, August 13th, with a visit to Getafe at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez. And with just a week to go before kick-off, the Blaugrana have still not been able to sign any new players, meaning that Xavi only has thirteen players at his disposal, including Franck Kessie, whose transfer to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli will be made official in a matter of hours, and Ousmane Dembele, who could also leave at any time for PSG.

The departures of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba and the sale of Nico Gonzalez to Porto for 8.5 million euros have not allowed them to earn enough money to pay for the signings of those who have been re-signed and the new signings. The viability plan presented by Barça to La Liga and approved by the body chaired by Javier Tebas included the departure of more players and a new lever, the sale of 16 percent of Barça Studios to an American fund for 65 million.

Neither has happened. Kessie and Dembele are on the exit ramp and the sporting directors are working to find places for Clement Lenglet and Sergino Dest, two players who are not in Xavi's plans. And the agreement for the sale of 16 per cent of Barça Studios is still pending signature.

As a result, Barça have not been able to register the players who have renewed their contracts, such as Sergi Roberto, Ronald Araujo, Marcos Alonso, Alejandro Balde and Iñaki Peña. Nor have they been able to register any of the three new signings, Ilkay Gündogan, Oriol Romeu and Iñigo Martínez. Abde and Fermín López, who are returning from loan and whom the club has not been able to register either, are also in consideration as 'new signings'. Although the midfielder would be available for Xavi if he is registered with Barça Atletic.

The situation is delicate. And there is one case that worries above the rest: Gündogan. The German midfielder signed a clause that would release him from his contract with the Blaugrana in the case of not being able to be registered for the start of the league. A clause that also penalised Barça with the full payment of the first of the three signed seasons.

In other words, the Blaugrana could be left without the player who until now has been their star signing. A footballer, moreover, committed who decided to leave the European champions to fulfil his dream of playing for Barça. Oriol Romeu and Iñigo Martínez do not have this clause in their contracts.

In the heart of the Cule club calm is maintained, since the registration of all these footballers can be finalised on Sunday 13, mere hours before the debut against Getafe. That is to say, there is still a week left to close some of the pending operations that would unravel the situation.

Barça are confident that they will be able to close the Barça Studios deal soon, which would allow them to register Gundogan and the rest of the players who are currently unable to start La Liga. Iñigo Martínez may be the exception, as he is still recovering from plantar fasciitis and will not be available until September. In the case of the centre-back, Barça have more room for manoeuvre.

It should not be forgotten that last season, a lack of room in the salary limit prevented Jules Koundé from playing the first two match days. In the end, and faced with the impossibility of finding other solutions, the board had to guarantee his registration with their own money.