Barca still trying to figure out how to register Torres after €55m deal
Stefan Bienkowski
- Updated: 3 Jan 2022 15:55 GMT
- 3 min read
Ferran Torres’ unveiling as a new Barcelona player wasn’t exactly as straightforward as these events tend to be.
Of course, the Spain international posed with his new shirt, shaked hands with the club’s hierarchy in front of a crowd of photographers and even performed a few tricks for the fans in the stands.
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However, when it came time to answer questions from the media, the former Manchester City star was perhaps a little lost for words.
Despite making his return to La Liga as part of a remarkable €55 million transfer fee from Man City, Torres and Barca are still working on a way to make sure the player can actually play for his new club once he recovers from a broken foot in February.
As things stand, Torres may be a Barca player but the club actually haven’t been able to register him and allow him to play in domestic competitions.
🆕❗️ pic.twitter.com/dZvEt5HJeF
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 3, 2022
Why haven’t Barca registered Torres?
In Spanish football, each club’s salary bill is determined by their income and profits and due to the fact that Barca recorded a loss of €500 million last season, it mean the Catalan side’s wage bill shrunk to just €97.94 million - which is less than Premier League side Watford’s for this season.
As such, the club have had to ask numerous star players to reduce their wages and will be forced to sell a number of players this month in order to complete Torres’ signing and allow him to finally play for his new club before the end of the season.
Reminder that Laporta himself confirmed that Barcelona's "very worrying" debt stands at €1.35billion - debt rose by €200m between Jan-August 2021. They recorded €550m of losses last season and had to beg players to agree wage cuts and deferrals in order to sign new players. https://t.co/mB2KaFOfa5
— Colin Millar (@Millar_Colin) January 3, 2022
I am totally relaxed,” said Torres when asked about not being registered by the club yet. “They are doing everything possible, they are working on it, but I am relaxed and I know that in the end it can be done.”
When asked about the club’s financial struggles with the Torres deal, club president Joan Laporta said: "With Ferran we made an exception, we signed him before we could register him. We are working on it. We are planning for next season.
“It is our obligation and our responsibility. Everything is possible if it is done well. I'm sure it will work out very well.”
