FC Barcelona have managed to resolve one of the most complicated operations in the transfer market. The departure of Clément Lenglet was a headache for the club, which exhaustedly searched for a way to get rid of him and finally found it. The footballer has extended his contract for one season, until 2027, and will go on loan to Atlético de Madrid. A transfer that gives the Catalans more room to register players and bring their return to the 1/1 rule closer, with which they could complete some more signings before the end of the summer.
The central defender's salary would be around 16 million euros gross per season, but by extending his contract from two to three years, these 32 million gross are spread over three seasons. Thus, the footballer would earn 10.6 million gross per year, about 5.3 net for each of them. By deferring his salary, Barça reduces the cost initially planned for the player this year by 6 million, in addition to extending the amortization of the contract for the next four seasons instead of the two initially planned, a formula that represents an important step in the return to the longed-for 1/1 rule.
In addition, the Colchonera entity would assume a large part of Lenglet's salary, allowing the Catalans to see benefits in 'fair play'. Because the defender was registered as a player of the Barça first team, the margin is 60% on the cost of salary and amortization. Therefore, based on the 10.6 million previously mentioned, the salary margin freed up by Clément would be around 6.4 million if Atleti assumes the entirety of his salary, although this amount may decrease according to the percentage that the red-and-white team does not assume and that the Blaugranas must continue paying the Frenchman.
The margin could increase
According to 'Mundo Deportivo', there is a scenario in which the freed space could be even greater. This would be conditioned by the total salary mass of the first team of Barcelona, whose amount has just been lightened with the departure of Ilkay Gündogan. If after his renewal, Lenglet's salary equals or exceeds 5% of the total amount of the squad, he would enter the range of the so-called franchise players.
In this context, the margin for the loan would amount to 70% of the salary of the central defender assumed by Atleti. The maximum would be 7.4 million if the rojiblancos assumed 100% of the Frenchman's salary, although it seems difficult for this to happen. However, the operation could leave a minimum of 6 'kilos' to sign or register players, giving a 'breath' to a Barça that hopes to continue finding economic solutions before the end of the market.