Jules Koundé hopes to make his debut tomorrow as a Barcelona player against Valladolid at the Camp Nou (6.30pm).
The French center-back has been registered in the Professional League without the Barça club having had to transfer any player, but instead understands that he has adapted his wage bill to the regulations required by the administration after adjusting different variables of some contracts and the loan of Samuel Umtiti to Lecce.
It must also be taken into account that Pablo Torre, who joined Racing in the summer, will not have a file from the first team but from the subsidiary - the savings would be around three million - and that the Barça entity had a margin in the limit of the cost of the template after the sale of part of its assets —the four levers—: the total of the different operations reached the 20 million required by the League.
It is not, however, the League version.
Employer sources defend that Barça has resorted to article 92 by which there is the option of increasing the registration capacity if the achievement of income or benefits is anticipated, a temporary measure since it requires the club to reestablish the previous situation during the season —guarantees must be provided through a cash deposit or guarantee that must be provided by the shareholder or a third party outside the club, never by Barcelona itself—.
The anticipation would be in a private capacity, it could even be from a director of the Joan Laporta board.
“We are never going to adulterate the competition”, argued Xavi before Koundé was discharged from the League.
“It is being very difficult to register players;
it is a matter of balancing numbers with financial fair-play”, said the Barça coach.
The discrepancies between the club and the League are manifest since the president Joan Laporta did not sign the global credit of the Spanish teams with CVC that would have meant the continuity of Messi and opted for a negotiation along the lines of Madrid.
We must not forget that the Whites and Barça are backing the Super League against the criteria of the League and its president, Javier Tebas.
Koundé, who is the only unpublished of the signings -Lewandowski, Christensen, Raphinha and Kessié-, missed the matches against Rayo Vallecano and Real Sociedad and had a clause in his contract by which he was free in case he was not registered as a Barça player before the market closed on August 31.
The Barça club promised to pay Sevilla 50 million plus 10 variables for the footballer who already played last Wednesday's friendly against Manchester City after he made his debut in the Gamper Trophy.
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The spell of Laporta in Barcelona
Koundé's entry will further complicate Piqué's role.
The 35-year-old Catalan central defender has not played a single minute in an official match —he was not a substitute for two consecutive games since 2012— and has been more of a protagonist for his business after opposing 25% of Barça Studios with his company Kosmos, which finally bought Jaume Roures.
Neither have his family problems caused by his separation from Shakira helped him.
"I spoke with him before we went on vacation", certified Xavi.
“I was very clear and told him that we would strengthen ourselves and it would not be easy for him to play.
We still can't make assessments” he added before revealing: “He is a player who can help us in another type of role.
We'll see how he goes;
he depends on his sensations and mine.
There is competition for everyone and I try to choose the best to win", concluded the Barça coach.
Piqué, to whom the club still owes more than 50 million and has a contract until 2024, will become the fifth central defender after Araujo, Koundé, Christensen and Eric García.
He has not even participated in the game when Xavi has placed Araujo as a right back, a demarcation that he aspires to reinforce in the market because he does not trust Dest and only has Sergi Roberto for now.
The incorporations will depend on the casualties: Barça is interested in transferring Memphis, Braithwaite - a termination of contract is being considered - and Dest and, on the other hand, they still have not ruled out Bernardo Silva despite City's refusal.
The situation of Aubameyang and Frenkie de Jong is still in limbo while waiting for Barça's financial needs.
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