Barcelona is on the verge of facing another situation similar to the Sotil and Mirotic cases. Laporta’s fate now lies in the hands of Tebas and Olmo himself. Dani Olmo is deeply disillusioned, having already contemplated not being registered with La Liga this summer, a possibility included in his contract.
Dani Olmo Becomes a Free Agent
If this scenario occurs, Olmo would become a free agent, and Barcelona would lose all rights over him. The contract specifies that Barça must fulfill the six-year deal at 12 million per season, amounting to 72 million in total. However, during this period, Olmo would be playing for a different club.
Barcelona would also need to pay the remaining amount owed to Leipzig from the 48+7 million deal signed this summer, totaling 40 million. Furthermore, Barcelona would lose an asset worth 60 million euros, as valued in the market. This would further impact Laporta’s financial results.
Efforts to Re-register Olmo
Barcelona intends to convince La Liga and the Federation to reconsider their position and allow Olmo’s re-registration by Friday. This would be a legally complex move, as Olmo can’t be re-registered in the same season with the same club from which he was deregistered.
Financial Losses of 100 Million from Qatar Seats
For a shift in stance by the relevant authorities, Laporta must validate the documentation related to the sale of VIP seats to his former adversaries from Qatar. The Qatari investors have taken advantage of Laporta’s desperate situation, and Barcelona has sold these seats for 100 million, an asset originally valued at 200 million.
The total financial hit amounts to 272 million: 100 million lost from VIP seats, 60 million from Olmo’s market value, 40 million owed to Leipzig, and 72 million in player wages. This represents the cost of poor management in a transfer deal that could be disastrous for Barcelona, especially if Olmo chooses to honor the contract, become a free agent, and move to another team.
Olmo’s Loyalty to Barcelona
Laporta had almost given up on Olmo, but he was surprised to find that Olmo is more committed to Barça than he had expected. Olmo is willing to wait for a reasonable solution. Though his team is frustrated by Laporta’s lack of decisiveness, they are not willing to betray the club.
Olmo will continue training with Barça and will only leave if no resolution is found. If necessary, he will finish the season with another club, but with the hope of returning. He is optimistic that Laporta will find a solution before next summer, which he couldn’t manage before December 31.
Dependence on Tebas’ Favor
At this point, Barcelona is relying on a favor from La Liga, a risky proposition with Javier Tebas involved. It hinges on Tebas making an exception and accepting the late documentation, despite the three-day delay.
The Sotil and Mirotic Precedents
Barcelona’s indebtedness to Tebas and its weakened position against La Liga could lead to serious consequences. The club may face a situation like the Sotil case, where bureaucratic errors kept the player sidelined for a year, or the Mirotic case, where the basketball player was dismissed from Barcelona while still collecting his salary from the club.
