Barcelona Reduces Wage Bill with Loans of Lenglet and Vitor Roque

Barcelona continues to reduce its wage bill with the loans of Clément Lenglet to Atlético Madrid and Vitor Roque to Betis. These strategic moves are primarily aimed at freeing up space in the team's salary cap to register Dani Olmo. Although Olmo was called up for Saturday's match, he could not participate as his registration was not completed in time. While Vitor Roque's departure does not directly affect the wage bill as he was not registered in La Liga, the club saves his salary, contributing to financial optimization. Barcelona hopes that Olmo will be available for the next match against Rayo Vallecano.

Additionally, Barcelona had already started freeing up its wage bill by terminating Ilkay Gündogan's contract, who returned to Manchester City after just one year with the Catalan club. These decisions are part of a broader strategy to comply with financial regulations and strengthen their squad, with the intention of signing a left winger before the transfer window closes on Friday at midnight.

Clément Lenglet, 29, will join Atlético Madrid for the 2024-25 season after his loan from Barcelona was confirmed. The French center-back has already begun integrating into his new team, as evidenced by his presence during Atlético's recent victory over Girona. Although not mentioned in the official statement, the operation includes renewing Lenglet's contract with Barcelona until 2027, allowing the club to defer part of his salary. The exact details of how his salary will be divided have not been specified, but Atlético will assume most of his salary for the upcoming season.

Lenglet's arrival at Atlético took longer than expected due to doubts from the Madrid club, which initially prioritized signing David Hancko to strengthen their defense. Although the agreement with Barcelona seemed closed weeks ago, Atlético halted negotiations to try and finalize Hancko's signing. However, economic limitations and issues related to financial fair play forced Atlético to reconsider and opt for the more affordable option of Lenglet, as it did not involve a transfer fee.

This loan represents Lenglet's third consecutive one after his experiences at Tottenham and Aston Villa. Despite having a prominent role, especially at Tottenham where he played 35 matches, Barcelona has been unable to sell the defender permanently due to his inconsistent performance and high salary demands.

With Lenglet's addition, Atlético strengthens its defense and completes its squad for the 2024-25 season, adding a total of five signings. This move is complemented by the arrivals of Robin Le Normand, Alexander Sørloth, Julián Álvarez, and Conor Gallagher, bolstering the team in various key positions.

Meanwhile, Vitor Roque joins Betis on loan following intense negotiations that began with a visit from a delegation of Betis directors to Barcelona, led by Joaquín Sánchez. Roque, who was presented as a star signing for Barcelona last winter, joins the green-and-white team hoping to find continuity and prove his worth in Europe.

Betis will cover the player's entire salary with an option to extend the loan until June 2026 and a purchase option. This option would be around 25 million euros in 2026 but is reduced if executed next year. Additionally, Barcelona retains a buy-back clause ensuring that the Catalan club does not lose total control over the promising forward.

Vitor Roque arrived at Barcelona with high expectations but had a brief and disappointing stint at the club. With only 16 matches played and two goals scored, the Brazilian failed to gain the trust of coaches Xavi and Flick, who considered him unready for an important role in the team. Now at Betis under Manuel Pellegrini’s guidance, Roque is expected to have a more prominent role as a number 9 and showcase the potential that made him one of Brazil’s great football promises.

The forward is expected to debut next weekend in Betis' visit to Santiago Bernabéu in La Liga’s fourth matchday. For Pellegrini, Roque’s addition completes a squad that now features a young and promising forward capable of providing speed, off-the-ball movement, and goals—elements Betis needed to complete their offensive lineup.