Some of the biggest legends of FC Barcelona from the last decade are currently playing in the USA. Three of these players, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, are associated with the same club, Inter Miami.
Lionel Messi joined the American side back in 2023, after spending two seasons with the French side Paris Saint Germain following his departure from FC Barcelona in 2021. The other two players, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba left the Catalan club in 2023 and joined Inter Miami in the same year.
However, according to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are still paying these three players, despite it being several years since they left the club. These payments are being made as the trio had deferred their salaries in the 2020-21 financial year when the club faced perhaps the most difficult year financially because of the pandemic.
This will be the last season when Barcelona have to make these payments. Furthermore, while these payments continue to be a burden on the club’s treasury, they are not going to impact the club’s financial statements, as these were accounted for in the books of the 2020-21 financial year.
That year, the club incurred losses worth €481 million, and that deficit was one of the reasons that led to the FFP problems that the Blaugranes are still fighting, as they are yet to return to the 1:1 status.
This situation was also responsible for Lionel Messi’s departure from the club, as he left in the following year because the Catalans could not get him registered with La Liga.
As things stand, the highest decision-makers at the Blaugrana club have made it clear that they are quite close to returning to the 1:1 status. Hopefully, this will be the case and the club will be able to make its desired moves in the next summer transfer window.
