Barcelona transfer debts revealed

Barcelona's financial crisis continues to cast a heavy shadow over the club. The latest financial statements submitted to the shareholders' assembly revealed accumulated debts of €159 million related to player transfers, confirming that the club remains mired in massive financial obligations despite the club's relentless efforts to rebalance its budget. According to the Spanish newspaper Marca, Barcelona is required to repay €140 million of these debts this season, a significant increase compared to only €45 million due in the same period last year, reflecting the mounting financial pressure on the Catalan club. A large portion of these obligations is attributed to the expensive transfer campaign in the summer of 2022, when the club spent over €150 million to sign Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Jules Kounde. However, club data indicates that nearly half of these transfers have yet to be paid, as outstanding debts remain:
€42 million to Leeds United for Raphinha,
€25 million to Sevilla for Jules Kounde,
and €10 million to Bayern Munich for Lewandowski.
Barcelona also has to pay an additional €18 million this year to RB Leipzig as part of the Dani Olmo deal, which was concluded in the summer of 2024.
The crisis doesn't stop with current players; even departing players continue to weigh heavily on the budget. Barcelona owes €17 million to Brazilian club Atlético Paranaense for Vitor Roque, despite later selling him to Palmeiras for €25 million, with Barcelona retaining a percentage of the resale proceeds.
Analysts believe that the previous administration's "buy now, pay later" policy has backfired, leaving Barcelona in a frantic financial race to make huge payments in the short term just to maintain financial stability and operational continuity.
This comes at a time when the administration, led by Joan Laporta, is attempting to implement commercial and investment projects—such as the Can Barça restaurant chain—in an effort to diversify revenues and boost the treasury. However, the accumulation of short-term debt remains the biggest obstacle to the Catalan club's ambitions.