Olmo Closer To Barcelona Exit After Registration Request Rejected

Olmo, who joined from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig last summer for an alleged 60 million euros, faced challenges with his registration due to La Liga’s financial regulations on wages and transfers.

Barcelona, struggling with debt, registered Olmo until December 31 using 80% of injured defender Andreas Christensen’s salary, thanks to an exception that allows clubs to replace long-term injured players.

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After La Liga denied Barcelona’s request to extend Olmo’s registration until the season’s end, the club took legal action, arguing unfair competition and seeking registration until June 30, 2025.

A commercial court in Barcelona, in a ruling issued Monday, dismissed the club’s request, stating that none of the required criteria had been met.

The court emphasized that the purpose of the overspend exception is to address long-term injuries, not to register players exceeding salary limits, which Barcelona attempted.

The court also clarified that Olmo’s registration cannot be extended beyond December 31, 2024, when his current contract expires.

Spanish media reported that Olmo’s contract, originally running until 2030, contains a clause allowing his departure if he cannot be registered.

Barcelona can appeal the ruling, and reports suggest the club may explore alternative methods to secure Olmo’s registration, including legal action, personal guarantees from board members, or selling VIP seat packages for the expanded Camp Nou to generate extra income.

La Liga affirmed that it applied the rules consistently across all clubs, stating that making an exception would jeopardize the fairness of the competition.

Olmo’s potential departure would be a significant setback for Barcelona, who have slipped from the top of the table to third place in a tightly contested title race.

With Hansi Flick’s team sitting three points behind leaders Atletico Madrid and two adrift of Real Madrid, having played one game more, the loss of Olmo could further harm their title hopes.