Barcelona still owe a staggering €159 million (£138m/$184m) to several clubs for past transfers, including deals for Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. Despite generating nearly €1bn (£870m/$1.16bn) in revenue, Barca’s mounting short-term debts and delayed transfer payments reveal that the club is still struggling to regain its financial footing after years of reckless spending.
Barcelona need to pay €140m by next year
Barcelona’s latest financial report for the 2024–25 season reveals a total debt of €159.1m owed to other football clubs from previous transfer dealings. Out of this, €140.6m (£122m/$163m) must be paid within the next year, showing that the club’s financial burden remains heavy despite improved revenue. These figures further highlight that while the Catalan side have managed to stabilise performance on the pitch, the balance sheet continues to feel the strain of past spending sprees.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportHow did Barcelona’s accumulate €160m in debt
Leeds top the list as they are still waiting for €41.9m (£36m/$48m) from Barca for the transfer of Raphinha in 2022. Bayern Munich are owed €20m (£17m/$23m) for Lewandowski, while Sevilla have €24.5m (£21m/$28m) pending for Jules Kounde, whom they acquired in 2022. The list goes further on with Manchester City yet to receive €13.3m (£11m/$15m) for Torres, and Real Betis are due €8m for Emerson Royal. In addition to these payments, smaller amounts remain unsettled with clubs like Girona, Valencia, Sporting CP and Rennes, proving that Barcelona’s unpaid commitments reach across Europe and have them neck-deep in financial struggles.
Clubs that owe Barcelona
The financial report also states that Barca are owed €64.1m (£55m/$74m) by other clubs for their own outgoing transfers. Porto owe €6.7m for Nico Gonzalez, Al-Ahli have a €4.1 million outstanding debt for Franck Kessie's transfer and Shakhtar Donetsk still need to pay €3.1m for Marlon. Other clubs, including Braga, Chelsea and Real Betis, have smaller balances which are due to be paid. Even if these payments are made by next year, Barca will still be in €100m (£87m/$116m) debt. These pending receivables further reflect how deeply modern football relies on deferred transfer payments, which in turn burdens the club with financial struggle if the move doesn't stage out in the planned way.
Getty Images SportHow does Barcelona plan to repay their debts?
Barcelona recorded €994m (£864m/$1.1b) in total revenue and a narrow €2m profit for the last financial year, but the club also reported €965m (£839m/$1.12b) in expenditure, erasing any progress that had been made. The management has called a general assembly on October 19 to discuss the next budget and future spending plans. Despite some positive financial indicators, the debt figures reveal that Barcelona’s journey to stability is far from complete.
