Barcelona have locked in a number of their key players into long-term deals in recent weeks, which would appear to set them in good stead going forward. The Blaugrana bucked the trend in recent years by ignoring the January transfer market, and in this particular case, links to Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, preferring to prioritise contract renewals.

However it might not be the strategic move that it has appeared on the outside. Barcelona first signed Gerard Martin to a new deal, followed by new deals for star players Ronald Araujo, Gavi, Pedri and most recently Pau Cubarsi. Talks are expected to reach a positive conclusion with Inigo Martinez and Robert Lewandowski shortly too.

🧨One step beyond‼️
La Liga, escarmentada por el tema de Libero considera que los ingresos de los palcos Vips (100 millones) deben ser prorrateados, al tratarse de activos a 30 años. Fichar será harto complicado, por ello esta fiebre por renovar estas últimas semanas 🔵🔴

— Dongcast (@JoanFontes) February 18, 2025

The sudden rush of renewals could be down to concerns about their salary limit position again. In December, Barcelona agreed the sale of 475 VIP seats for €100m, leasing them out for the next 30 years from when Camp Nou reopens. That was in theory to register Dani Olmo and Pau Victor, but also returned Barcelona to within their salary limit for the first time in three years, and easing the spending restrictions on them.

According to Joan Fontes, the rush to get renewals done is because they fear that will no longer be the case by the summer. La Liga are not only suspicious of the deal to sell the leases for the 475 VIP seats, which could annul its impact on the salary limit altogether, but also may consider that it must be accounted on a per year basis, given the deal is valid for 30 years, meaning it would provide little more than €3.3m per season for their salary limit calculations, rather than €100m this season.

Consideraciones acerca del pufo de #NewEra y el @FCBarcelona_cat

Muchos se preguntan por qué el Barça escondió el nombre de las empresas relacionadas con los Palcos Vips. La respuesta es meridiana. Se esconde la participación de Qatar, un país al que Laporta se negó a viajar…

— Dongcast (@JoanFontes) February 19, 2025

As such, Barcelona are liable to be spending over their salary limit once again if this does come into place, and therefore subject to stricter spending restrictions once again. Currently clubs over their salary limit can only spend 60% of what they bring in or save on new signings and salaries, making any recruitment tricky.