Barcelona’s €159 Million Transfer Debt Exposed: Club Owes Millions for Past Signings
Barcelona’s financial woes deepen as the club reveals a massive €159m transfer debt, with unpaid fees for stars like Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Kounde. Stadium delays and mounting dues threaten the club’s long-term stability.
A Financial Crisis That Won’t Go Away
Barcelona’s long-standing financial troubles have taken a darker turn. The Catalan giants have revealed a staggering €159 million (£138m) transfer debt, according to their latest financial report presented to The Members’ Assembly on Monday.
While the report and new budget were approved by shareholders, the revelations have left fans and analysts questioning the club’s long-term sustainability. Despite Joan Laporta’s insistence that “we are much better off than we were four and a half years ago,” the numbers paint a sobering picture.
🚨 Barcelona's overall debt for transfers amounts to €159m, of which €140m must be paid in the short term (this current season).
— @marcapic.twitter.com/1PmOTY5XXs— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) October 19, 2025
Paying the Price for Past Spending
A large portion of this debt stems from the club’s lavish spending spree in the summer of 2022, when Barcelona — despite being mired in debt — shelled out around €150m (£130m) on marquee signings Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Jules Kounde.
Three years later, the club has paid back less than half of those transfer fees. The breakdown of unpaid dues reads like a cautionary tale of financial overreach:
- €42m (£36.5m) still owed to Leeds United for Raphinha
- €25m (£22m) due to Sevilla for Kounde
- €10m (£8.5m) pending to Bayern Munich for Lewandowski
And that’s not all. Barcelona’s transfer liabilities continue to snowball, with €18m (£15.5m) owed to RB Leipzig for Dani Olmo and €13.5m (£12m) due to Manchester City for Ferran Torres.
Ghosts of Transfers Past
Perhaps most alarming is that a portion of this mounting debt belongs to players who no longer even wear the Barcelona shirt.
The case of Vitor Roque stands out. Despite offloading the young Brazilian to Palmeiras for €25m (£22m) earlier this year, Barcelona still owe €17m (£15m) to Athletico Paranaense — the club they bought him from in 2022.
Such financial backlogs have left many wondering if Barcelona’s aggressive transfer strategy has finally caught up with them.
Camp Nou Delays Deepen the Wound
Compounding the problem is the delay in reopening the revamped Spotify Camp Nou. The reconstruction project — once seen as a symbol of the club’s rebirth — has instead become a financial drain.
Barcelona had initially hoped to inaugurate the new stadium at the start of the 2024-25 season. But repeated delays have forced the club to continue playing away from home, slashing matchday revenues that once served as a financial lifeline.
With their biggest source of income crippled, the club’s financial recovery has stalled.
Laporta’s Optimism Amid Chaos
Despite the growing alarm, club president Joan Laporta continues to project confidence.
“At the end of the 2024-25 fiscal year,” the report noted, Laporta resorted to ‘economic levers’ to cover a €17m (£15m) loss, a strategy he believes is stabilising the club.
“We are much better off than we were four and a half years ago,” Laporta told members, insisting that the club’s turnaround is underway.
“Some of the statements surprise me – everything can be improved. But today we are much better off than when we arrived.”
Trouble Looming on the Horizon
But optimism alone may not be enough. Barcelona must pay €140m (£121m) of their transfer debt by the end of this season just to stay afloat — a massive leap from €45m (£39m) due last season.
As the club battles to manage day-to-day expenses while servicing transfer debts and financing stadium construction, the question looms large: Can Barcelona sustain its footballing ambitions without sinking deeper into the red?
For now, the once-golden club that prided itself on the motto “Més que un club” (More than a club) finds itself at a crossroads — struggling not just for trophies, but for financial survival.