Barcelona Struggles with Player Registration and Defensive Needs as Transfer Window Nears Close

As the summer transfer window approaches its deadline, Barcelona is once again embroiled in financial turmoil, leaving three key players—Gerard Martín, Wojciech Szczęsny, and Roony Bardghji—unregistered for La Liga matches. This echoes the club's struggles from the previous summer, underscoring ongoing challenges with financial fair play regulations.

Hansi Flick, Barcelona's manager, has openly expressed his frustration with these constraints, which have hampered the club's ability to integrate new signings fully. The financial instability has also forced the club to miss out on high-profile targets like Nico Williams and Luis Díaz, limiting their reinforcements for the upcoming season.

Player Offloading: A Race Against Time

To address the registration crisis, Barcelona must offload several players deemed surplus to requirements. Oriol Romeu, Iñaki Peña, and Héctor Fort are among the candidates for departure. Romeu’s contract termination is under consideration, while Peña could leave on loan after a contract extension. Fort, a promising right-back, is reportedly in talks with West Ham for a potential loan move to free up space for new registrations.

Defensive Reinforcements on the Radar

The departure of Iñigo Martínez has left a gap in Barcelona’s defense, particularly for a left-footed center-back. The club has been linked with young Brazilian defender Luiz Benedetti, but competition from other European clubs complicates the pursuit. In the meantime, Martín, who featured in the preseason as a makeshift defender, may be relied upon—highlighting the urgency to resolve the registration issues for current players.

Barcelona aims to register at least Gerard Martín ahead of their La Liga clash with Rayo Vallecano on August 31st. However, this hinges on their ability to clear players from their wage bill in time.