Barcelona confirm activation of third financial lever
By Sean Walsh
Barcelona have announced that they have sold a stake of Barça Studios to Socios for €100m.
The sale confirms the club's activation of a third financial lever this summer to help them sign players in the transfer window and register them in time for the new La Liga season.
A club statement read: "FC Barcelona announces the sale of 24.5% of Barça Studios to the company Socios.com for 100 million euros to accelerate the club’s audiovisual, blockchain, NFT and Web.3 strategy.
"The sale has been made in accordance with the authorisation of the General Assembly of FC Barcelona Members held last October 23."
Barcelona club president Joan Laporta confirmed earlier on Monday at the unveiling of new signing Jules Kounde that the deal was set to be officially announced, while he also alluded to further signings and sales this summer despite rival clubs' bemusement at their business.
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Laporta said: "First we have to register the players and get rid of those who don't count. Then we'll see what we can do.
"The lever thing is very difficult, it's to save the club and have the possibility of signing players and registering them. The risk is controlled. The Barça Studios operation has been carried out.
"The feeling we have is that we are doing the job, with great difficulty. Finding the levers has not been easy. And the clubs with whom we were negotiating made statements. I am not talking about others, if they want to continue talking, let them do so.
"Work is being done on departures, it's not easy. I'm satisfied with the transfers, but we'll see. The summer is long. First, register them, and then we'll see, there may be some more operations.
"We have carried out the necessary operations [to register new players]. I hope that La Liga makes the same interpretation as us. If not, we will solve it. The exits will help."