A FIFA Committee voted in favor of upholding the two window transfer ban that was placed upon Barcelona. The Spanish club was found guilty of breaking international transfer laws regarding their youth players. In addition to the two transfer window ban, that does not apply to this current window, the club has been fined over 490,000 thousand dollars.
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This is not welcoming news for a club that took home no trophies last season and is looking to rebound. However, the club has made major upgrades during this current transfer window, shelling out major cash for players like Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic and Marc Andre TerStegen. With Chilean international Claudio Bravo competing for time in net with the young TerStegen and Jeremy Mathieu added to their backline, Barcelona have an incredible amount of squad depth.
World class passer Xavi Hernandez will likely be coming off the bench while Javier Mascherano, the work horse for Argentina at the 2014 World Cup, will be hard pressed to see consistent playing time. Certainly squad depth is not a concern for new head man Luis Enrique.
But what the former Barcelona player, and now current manager, has to worry about is what his team will look like in a year. Currently, as the ban stands, the Catalan club cannot make transfers until the January transfer window of 2016. That is a long time for Enrique and his new look Barcelona squad to cope without the prospect of buying new players.
For this reason, Luis Enrique must pressure the board to make one more purchase before the current transfer window ends. La Blaugrana have long been linked with the speedy Colombian Juan Cuadrado, but that deal has seemed to slip through their fingers. Cuadrado’s current club have been asking for an absurd amount of money as their multi faceted attacker’s transfer value is at an all time high.
Recent rumors have surfaced stating that Barcelona have recently been told that shelling out major cash for another player would see them breach Financial Fair Play Rules. However, RAC1 (a reputable Spanish newspaper) have quieted those rumors saying that La Liga and Barcelona sources have denied such claims.
If this is the case, Barcelona should pay any amount of money that Fiorentina ask for Cuadrado. The Colombian can cover for the aging fullback Dani Alves as well as fill in as a winger. With the departure of Gerard Deulofeu, Enrique’s side has only four true attackers.
What may be Barcelona’s saving grace during this two transfer window ban is in their own backyard. Barcelona’s famed youth academy, La Masia, is full of bright young talent that Enrique has watched avidly during their preseason. An entire generation of Barcelona players like Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez and Sergio Busquets are all La Masia products. Some of the standout Barcelona B players will be ready for action come next season.
The most promising young player in La Masia is Croatian wonder kid Alen Halilovic. The 18-year-old attacker has earned rave reviews during the preseason. Halilovic makes uncannily similar runs to his idol Lionel Messi and has shown that he is more then ready for first team minutes, even at his ripe young age. Another young player that Barcelona can use in the future is Sergi Samper.
The young midfielder has been a standout in the Barcelona side this summer. Samper looks like a natural successor to current holding mid, Sergio Busquets. Finally, Munir El Haddadi, the young Spanish international has been tearing up opposing defenses in recent Barca friendlies. His two goals against Club Leon in the Gamper Cup were very impressive. His poise and finishing in front of goal reflects a player who is far wiser then his age would suggest.
In short, Barcelona will be fine without the addition of new players in the coming transfer windows. Even if the club cannot make another signing this transfer window there is plenty of home grown talent that is ready to fill in. Barcelona will also have all of their loaned players return at the end of the coming season. Deulofeu, the young Denis Suarez and the Dutchman Ibrahim Affelay are all on loan until the end of the season. It really pays off having the best youth academy in the world.