Barcelona could oversee the departures of two summer signings before they’ve even played in a competitive league match for the club, according to Sam Marsden at ESPN.
Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie officially joined the Catalan side as free agents at the beginning of the transfer window, but have yet to be officially registered as Barcelona players.
Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen Could Choose to Leave for Free
Christensen and Kessie could leave Barcelona for free if they are not registered before Saturday, sources have confirmed to @samuelmarsden and @moillorens 😳 pic.twitter.com/LNI0V8Tw2K
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 10, 2022
Barcelona Have Just Days to Register Them in Their Squad
The 2022/23 La Liga campaign kicks off on Friday, August 12, with Barcelona’s opening fixture against Rayo Vallecano scheduled for the following day. If Xavi’s side are unable to register both Christensen and Kessie before their first game, both players can trigger a clause that enables them to leave the club for free.
Read more: Every Premier League Transfer Completed in Summer 2022
This is because they joined the Spanish giants as free agents, whereas the team’s other summer signings Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde were bought out of their contracts directly from their previous clubs.
The new signings, as well as the contract extensions of Ousmane Dembele and Sergi Roberto, are all yet to be registered ahead of the forthcoming season.
Whilst sources indicate the situation is unlikely to reach the stage of the players opting to leave, Barcelona are taking their chances by leaving it until two days before their opening day.
Xavi’s Big Spending Could Prove to Bring More Trouble
Xavi’s summer spending totalled around £127million. However, his side’s La Liga-imposed spending cap was -£121million at the conclusion of last season, making them the only negative limit in the league.
It also means the cap will need to be increased significantly to ensure their new arrivals can take the pitch for them.
🚨🎖️| Franck Kessie is one of the players who is willing to wait another week to get registered. Even though he has an option to become a free agent if not registered, he has not even considered this and is loving life at Barça. [@RogerTorello] #fcblive pic.twitter.com/ow3Dh7q46B
— BarçaTimes (@BarcaTimes) August 12, 2022
Players Remain Positive but Situation in the Hands of Barcelona
Despite the unusual situation, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed: “Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie are both ‘calm and relaxed’ after receiving positive messages from Barcelona… both players are optimistic.
“Christensen and Kessie expect to be Barca players for many years. Up to the club now.”
Read more: ‘We Want Him to Stay’ – Barcelona President Comments on Frenkie de Jong Future
Seemingly, the stars are adamant to see out the situation and trust the club’s president, Joan Laporta, to resolve the issue over the coming days.
