Barcelona lose battle to sign Olmo: what happens next?

Bombshell in Barcelona: The Commercial Court No. 10 of Barcelona, presided over by Judge Ignacio Fernández de Senespleda, rejected the lawsuit filed by Barça against LaLiga this Friday.

This decision activated a red light preventing the extension of the forward’s registration, which expired on December 31. The news was first reported by Què T’hi Jugues and Mundo Deportivo.

The judge sided with LaLiga, which argued that Barça failed to comply with financial fair play regulations, thereby barring the forward from continuing in domestic competition. However, unlike the case of Gavi two years ago, the judge upheld the player’s international right to work.

Could Olmo leave and sign for a new club in winter?

Barça now find themselves in a precarious and potentially humiliating situation. Failure to resolve the issue could mean being unable to register their star signing for the 2024–25 season. Compounding the crisis, the player has a clause allowing him to leave for free on January 1 and sign with any team of his choosing.

The club is exploring two urgent options: selling a package of VIP boxes in the future Camp Nou or securing a personal financial guarantee. The latter seems the more plausible choice for now, as the VIP box sale would require thorough review and approval by LaLiga.

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Club president Joan Laporta is now in a high-stakes, four-day race against the clock. The outcome will not only determine the forward’s future but also impact the already strained prestige of the club, further tarnished by the court’s ruling.

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