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According to multiple sources, Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets has agreed to reduce his salary to help the club reduce their wage bill. This would in turn help them comply with La Liga’s financial fair play rules. Busquets is set to become the third Barcelona player to take what is believed to be a substantial pay cut after Jordi Alba and Gerard Pique accepted similar reductions to their salary.
Barcelona still owe Busquets money from previous deferrals, which he had agreed upon to help the club cope with the financial issues faced due to the pandemic. The 33-year-old has been at the club since 2005 and his contract runs all the way to 2023. He has also assumed the role of first team captain following Messi’s departure to PSG.
Barcelona have tried to reach similar agreements with other players as well. However, they have reportedly failed to reach an agreement with Sergi Roberto. The Spanish international is willing to reduce his pay but is not happy with the terms proposed by the club.
Barcelona star Sergi Roberto has failed to reach an agreement with the club
Sergi Roberto’s contract expires next summer. According to reports, Barcelona are willing to extend the Spaniard's deal by an additional two years but only if he agrees to take a 40% wage cut. Roberto, it seems, has bigger offers from other clubs on the table and will be free to sign a pre-contract agreement with clubs in January 2022. But for now negotiations with Barcelona continue for an extension.
Pique’s pay cut helped Barcelona register Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia before their first La Liga match against Real Sociedad. Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets’s pay cuts are likely to help the club officially register Sergio Aguero, who is currently injured.
Barcelona must make sure they are adhering to La Liga’s spending limits in terms of salaries and transfer fees. They had a cap of over €600 million prior to the pandemic. This cap fell to €347 million last season and is expected to fall to €200 million for the upcoming season as the club’s revenue drops and debt rises.
Barcelona’s president Joan Laporta recently said that the club’s net debt was over €1.3 billion. After Messi’s departure, he explained that the club’s wage bill limit was still at around 95% of the club's revenue even though the Argentine's salary was off their books. That number would have to come down to around 70% to comply with La Liga’s financial regulations.
