Barcelona finally register Memphis Delay & Eric Garcia for La Liga

Barcelona have been able to register new signings Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia to play in La Liga, as well as Barça B player Rey Minaj, but only because Gerard Pique agreed to take a ‘substantial’ pay cut to make it possible amid the ongoing financial crisis.

Barça have needed to slash costs all summer to ensure they can comply with La Liga’s salary regulations and not exceed 70% of their annual revenue being spent on player wages.

Failure to comply has already cost the club Lionel Messi, who has left to join Paris Saint-Germain, and had also prevented any new signings from being registered.

But just the day before they start their new La Liga season against Real Sociedad, Barça have been able to register Memphis, Garcia and Minaj to play. The club has Pique to thank after he was willing to significantly reduce his wages to make room for the trio.

A statement from the club explained the situation and added that Barça are in further talks with Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba to also lower their respective salaries, with both senior stars described as ‘totally and utterly willing to cooperate’.

Memphis himself was reported to have taken a 30% pay cut within weeks of agreeing his contract, while Barça will need those further cuts from Busquets and Alba in order to register new signing Sergio Aguero once he recovers from a calf injury at some point in late October.

Barça have also cut wages and raised funds this summer by selling Jean-Clair Todibo, Junior Firpo, Carles Alena and Konrad de la Fuente, loaning Trincao and releasing Matheus Fernandes.

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