#financial-fair-play

#financial-fair-play

Barcelona's risk with Rashford has paid off tenfold as the Manchester United outcast has surpassed all expectations at the Nou Camp. 23 goal involvements in 34 appearances is a great return for the England international, who has also been incredibly useful to head coach Hansi Flick due to his versatility.

According to The Telegraph, Leicester were found to have made losses of 200 million in the three-year accounting period up to June 30, 2024. Clubs in England's top two divisions are permitted to lose a maximum of 105 million over a three-season period. This figure is lower for teams competing in the Championship for a partial or full duration of the relevant accounting period. In Leicester's case, the club's loss limit for period 2021-2024 was 81m.

This time last year, Elliott was flying high with the Reds squad who were on their way to a Premier League title. Despite only playing 28 times in 2024/25, the young midfielder was at the place he loved being most: Anfield. He had found it difficult to break into the starting line-up under Arne Slot. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister had locked down the holding midfield roles, with Dominik Szoboszlai occupying the attacking midfield role.

FC Barcelona have had a long-standing interest in Manchester City and Portugal playmaker Bernardo Silva. The Blaugrana have made multiple attempts to sign the 31-year-old midfielder in the past, pursuing him with great fervour, especially during the time when Xavi Hernandez was manager. However, Financial Fair Play issues meant that a move never materialised despite the player being open to making the switch.

With the Financial Fair Play overhang still present, the club might resort to the sale of at least one big player in order to generate the margins required to return to the 1:1 rule. For the longest time, Frenkie de Jong had been seen as someone who could leave Barcelona, and the midfielder had even been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in the past. De Jong inquired about Saudi Arabia In a fresh twist, though, Al Ittihad sporting director Ramon Planes has revealed that De Jong has already inquired about life in Saudi Arabia to his national teammate and Al Ittihad player Steven Bergwijn. "Frenkie asked me how I'm doing here," Planes told Catalunya Radio (h/t Mundo Deportivo), citing Al Ittihad player Bergwijn.

While West Ham United and several Serie A clubs have expressed interest, reports suggest that Roma have taken the lead in negotiations, though the structure of the deal remains a key point of contention. United's preference is to sanction a permanent sale during the winter window, as the club looks to raise funds to reinvest elsewhere, particularly in midfield. The Red Devils are open to letting Zirkzee go, having concluded that he does not fit Amorim's tactical setup.

"The new SCR rules are intended to promote opportunity for all clubs to aspire to greater success and bring the league's financial system close to Uefa's existing SCR rules, which operate at a threshold of 70%," a Premier League statement read. "The other key features of the league's new system include transparent in-season monitoring and sanctions, protection against sporting underperformance, an ability to spend ahead of revenues, strengthened ability to invest off the pitch, and a reduction in complexity by focusing on football costs."

According to SportItalia, as relayed by SPORT, AC Milan are exploring the possibility of signing Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski in the upcoming January transfer window. The Italian giants have been struggling to find consistency in front of goal, prompting head coach Massimiliano Allegri to look for an experienced centre-forward who can bring both goals and leadership. And at the top of his wishlist sits Lewandowski, a player admired across Europe for his professionalism and finishing ability.

After a failed attempt to sign Manu Kone from AS Roma this summer, Inter Milan remain interested in the midfielder, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport, and their cause could be helped by Roma's need to raise funds in order to comply with the Financial Fair Play regulations. The negotiations between the two clubs are expected to reopen soon, but the move isn't likely to happen in January; the summer of 2026, when Kone will have three years left on his contract, appears a more realistic scenario.

Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García will be available for Saturday's league opener against Mallorca after LaLiga granted the club permission to use salary space allocated for the injured Marc-André ter Stegen.

It is crucial that all clubs adhere to the financial fair play regulations, which ensure transparency and fairness in player transfers and club sustainability. Athletic's audit aims to uphold these standards.