Memphis, Garcia registered to play in La Liga

Robin Bairner
Robin Bairner
  • Updated: 14 Aug 2021 12:01 BST
  • 3 min read
Memphis Depay at his Barcelona unveiling, July 2022
© ProShots

Barcelona have announced that Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia have been successfully registered with La Liga ahead of the opening game of the season against Real Sociedad.

The Catalans faced going into the opening day of the season on Sunday without their new arrivals due to their financial position.

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Barca were above La Liga's salary cap and, therefore, unable to register their new additions until they got below it.

It was thought that it was going to take sales to drive the Catalans below this limit, but their best attempts to sell or release the likes of Miralem Pjanic, Samuel Umtiti or even Antoine Griezmann were unsuccessful.

In the end, though, a solution has been found.

A statement from Barcelona reads: "FC Barcelona has been able to register Memphis Depay, Eric Garcia and Rey Manaj with the LFP. This fact has been possible thanks to the agreement reached with Gerard Pique for the second Barcelona captain to significantly lower his salary.

"In this way, Ronald Koeman will be able to count on all these players for this Sunday's game with Real Sociedad corresponding to the first day of the competition."

Barcelona's summer sales

ToFee (€m)
Junior FirpoLeeds15
Jean-Clair TodiboNice8
TrincaoWolves6
Carles AlenaGetafe5
Konrad de la FuenteMarseille3.5
Matheus FernandesReleased-

Barcelona, meanwhile, confirmed that there are still talks undergoing to try and get their wage bill down further.

"The club continues to work together with two of the four captains, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, to agree a salary adjustment in light of the problems the club is experiencing currently. In this sense, it should be noted that the predisposition on the part of both players is total and absolute."

Barcelona point out that they have made numerous player sales this summer, including Junior Firpo to Leeds for €15 million and Jean-Clair Todibo to Nice for €8m.

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