Down-And-Out Barcelona Having Yet Another Dry Summer

If you go back a few years, you would have known that Barcelona was about to host a circus when the transfer market opened up. We had a clown for a president at the time, and looking back, he made some of the worst transfer choices the team has ever had. Not only was Josep Maria Bartomeu wasting club funds on players like Philippe Coutinho, but his board's outrageous decision to pay players unreasonably large sums much beyond market value nearly brought the club to its knees and irreversibly damaged it. However, Joan Laporta is the current president of Barcelona and depending on your point of view, he has either done an exceptionally good job since taking over (new stadium, big-name players, etc.) or he has mortgaged the club's long-term future in the hopes of success in the near future.

Barcelona’s Cash Situation

It is true that Barca's finances are in a better place than they were a while ago. Two years ago, it was difficult to keep up with all the maneuvers Laporta was making. In essence, he made risky arrangements to keep the club afloat by selling off future revenue streams in exchange for quick financial infusions. He hedged his bets, believing that organic development and on-field accomplishments would eventually be sufficient to make up the deficit, by placing his confidence in the Barca brand. 

They have also, in a way, escaped a crisis. They ended the previous fiscal year with a net profit, and they managed to sign Vitor Roque in January, although a futile move. However, they are well below the cap needed to have unrestricted spending power under La Liga's strict financial guidelines. 

Laporta continues to trade blows with league president Javier Tebas via the media. Nobody appears to be sure whether Barca can truly afford all of the high-profile additions they have allegedly been considering in the interim.
Barcelona will probably not be allowed to add to their roster this summer due to exceeding the league's pay cap, according to a report. They need to find £110 million before the end of this month.

Nine senior players who started the previous season are currently ineligible to participate this season. Among them are players like Inigo Martinez of Spain, Vitor Roque of Brazil, and Marcos Alonso, a former star for Chelsea.