Hope - wait - disappoint is the mood cycle of the Cules in each transfer period under President Joan Laporta. From waiting for a blockbuster contract, to disappointment when financial issues are always a barrier that makes deals are just rumors. This time too, while big teams are actively recruiting new players, Barcelona has yet to make any move in the transfer market.
In the past, President Joan Laporta was praised for saving the Camp Nou team from the brink of bankruptcy, when selling future benefits to mortgage and maintain the team. A series of financial leverages were then taken to help Barca escape the mud with debts and financial violations. That risky decision initially brought positivity to the La Liga and Spanish Super Cup titles, and was a positive profit in the fiscal year in January 2024. However, the next mistakes of the board caused Barcelona to gradually decline and fall into chaos.
The Athletic described Vitor Roque as a typical image of Barcelona's "chaotic" era under Joan Laporta. In the summer of 2023, Barca spent more than 60 million Euros to recruit Roque from Athletico Paranaense. The Brazilian striker played hard and had a good start in La Liga but was often on the bench due to not being able to convince Xavi.
According to Spanish media, the decision to recruit Vitor Roque did not simply come from professional factors. President Joan Laporta is said to be very angry when a series of young Brazilian stars joined Los Blancos one after another, such as Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Endrick. Therefore, despite financial difficulties, Barcelona's leadership is determined to bring Roque to avoid being left behind and creating a position against Endrick. Now, Barca's leadership wants to put pressure and urgently sell Roque in the summer of 2024 to bring in new recruits.
The consequences of the wrong deals have once again caused the Blaugrana to fall into a financial difficult situation in the transfer market. However, Barcelona's board, headed by President Joan Laporta, still do not accept this fact. According to SPORT, the main reason Xavi was sacked last season came from his admitted that Barca were struggling financially and had difficulty competing with Real Madrid in the transfer market.
Not only that, President Joan Laporta is also said to have changed Barcelona's transfer strategy before the new season. Instead of bringing in new players to add important positions in the squad, Barca focused on Nico Williams and Dani Olmo.
According to MARCA, Joan Laporta wants to bring in high-class stars to make fans feel excited, in the context of Real Madrid successfully recruiting Kylian Mbappe. This will help Laporta continue to be supported and trusted to hold the position of President of the team.
Despite all financial difficulties, the Blaugrana are still doing everything they can to bring Dani Olmo back to Camp Nou, after Nico Williams decided to stay at Athletic Bilbao. Goal described that this could be the next wrong decision by President Joan Laporta, because Barca currently owns Ikay Gundogan, Pedri, Gavi and Fermin Lopez - players who play well in the same position as Olmo.
If this deal comes true, Barca's midfield will become cramped and fragile, having too many attacking midfielders but lacking defensive midfielders. It has been more than a year since Sergio Busquets joined Inter Miami, Barca has yet to find a suitable replacement for the 36-year-old captain. Xavi has previously had to use Andreas Christensen as a fire extinguishing option in the context of the team's midfield always being stifled.
Once a hero in helping Barcelona overcome financial difficulties, President Joan Laporta has now become a toi with pride and poor management ability. Even Barca's 2024-2025 season could be decided right in the summer transfer window of 2024 if Laporta continues to make wrong decisions.
