Barcelona look as if they will get the registration of Joan Garcia over the line in time for their La Liga debut, but must still reckon with six more players that are currently unavailable for their clash with RCD Mallorca. Headlining that list is Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford.
After La Liga approved Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s injury as long-term, the Blaugrana will activate the injury rule to allow them to include Garcia in their squad until January at the latest. With a little over 48 hours remaining before kick-off against Los Bermellones though, Barcelona are still working on six more player registrations.
Starting with Marcus Rashford – the England international has said he is relaxed about the situation, and he will likely be the next to be registered in terms of priority. Meanwhile fresh contracts for Wojciech Szczensy, Gerard Martin and Marc Bernal must all be included in their salary limit.
New signing Roony Bardghji is another yet to be registered, but he could end being registered as a Barca Atletic player, while Hector Fort is the sixth. Fort is expected to leave, for Mallorca no less, but Marca say that he and Bernal, who is recovering from an ACL injury, will be the last to be registered.
Barcelona hope to be given the green light from auditors Crowe that their €100m VIP seats lease is now included in their accounts, and can be added back to their salary limit. That would allow the Catalan giants to be back within their salary limit, and with less restrictions on their spending, would be able to register all six players as soon as La Liga approve it.
On Wednesday, Barcelona’s board unanimously approved the use of a €7m guarantee. That guarantee would be sufficient for Barcelona to register the remaining players too, but it will only be used at the end of the transfer market if La Liga have not approved their VIP seats deal. The guarantee allows the club to spend an extra €7m that was not in their budget, on the proviso that it will be later compensated. If it is not by the end of the mandate, the board members are personally liable for that amount.