Barcelona have shaved 145 million euros off their wage bill this summer.
The club found itself in a parlous state following the COVID-19 pandemic and the chaotic presidency of Josep Maria Bartomeu, so current president Joan Laporta has had to make difficult cutbacks.
None were more painful than the departure of Lionel Messi, but there have been a number of other departures besides which have been necessary.
Antoine Griezmann ended his disastrous stay at the club by returning to Atletico Madrid - taking his massive salary with him - and others to have left include Emerson Royal and Junior Firpo.
The knock-on effects of this reshuffle
Firstly, the players that have gone have been replaced by those of a lower quality.
Luuk de Jong and Memphis Depay are good players, but they won't strike fear into a defence like Messi and Griezmann did, or post the numbers they typically did.
Secondly, the Barcelona squad has been constructed to balance the books, rather than with actual footballing matters in mind.
This means that, for example, there is a surplus of centre-backs but very little cover at left-back.
But it was the right approach given the situation, and with Barcelona's wage bill now 420 million euros - down from 565m euros, a reduction of 30 percent - the club must hope this represents the beginning of an economic recovery.
soccsuz
1119
If trimming the wage bill is considered a success in football let the B Team play for you and sell the whole squads. It is easy.
Tondabowy
770
This man is the only man who can save Barcelona from financial crisis and build a less cost powerful team... GOOD WORK LAPOTA
Amgnonijunior
385
Barcelona fans waiting for Messi to return home like Ronaldo returned to Manchester United 😃😃
zumamruy
361
congratulations
TeddyBarclay
311
laugh all you want haters but we are slowly but surely getting out of this mess it's just a matter of patience I trust Laporta, From the start he said that he was going to make drastic decision that won't be in the favor of everyone but he will do everything possible to keep Barcelona alive........Culers out there remember our Anthem said“Players, Supporters United we are strong So much glory through the years oh the many goals we have cheered And it has been proven it has been proven that nothing can break us..............So not even this Stupid Financial issue FOR A BARCA
Californiaking
205
No matter what we are Barcelona and they are no traditional period at Barcelona as Larpota said last year, we must win at some setting level wether we use our academy players we have to win games because we are a winning team and we have an identify stile of play, we are not an Arsenal, Man United, AC Milan, Liverpool, Tottenham, Tottenham or Inter who can go years without trophies or performing at some setting level, no we are Barcelona and we must win if Keomab doesn't win Laliga and doesn't take us to at least a Ucl finals he should be sacked.
Bilal14
14
If trimming the wage bill is considered a success in football let the B Team play for you and sell the whole squads. It is easy.
it is considered a success when u got a 1 billion debt on ur head 🗣️🗣️
MoazzamMazari
10
If trimming the wage bill is considered a success in football let the B Team play for you and sell the whole squads. It is easy.
It was a success because Barcelona is a corporation and owned by the fans unlike Man City where the Arabs give humungous sponsor deals to secretly put money in the club. Barcelona is bigger than Messi, Antoine and the players that had to leave and the players that will leave
Steppa17
9
This man is the only man who can save Barcelona from financial crisis and build a less cost powerful team... GOOD WORK LAPOTA
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some barca fans dont get this.....laporta thinks futuristic....he doesnt want to build a team to win now....he wants to build one that can win for the next 5 years....but y'all not ready for that convo