Barcelona’s vice president of finance, Eduard Romeu, has recently resigned from his position due to professional reasons. This resignation adds to a series of resignations from directors and executives within the Catalan club since president Joan Laporta took office three years ago. The departure of Romeu comes at a critical time for Barcelona, as they continue to face economic challenges and are approaching the end of the financial year with significant financial hurdles to overcome.
Despite Romeu’s efforts to improve Barcelona’s monetary situation, the club still finds itself approximately €200 million ($218.8m) above their LaLiga-imposed annual spending limit of €204 million. Additionally, Barcelona is currently struggling to meet their budgeted income for the 2023-24 campaign, which was set at €859 million and must be achieved by June 30. These financial constraints may potentially force the club to consider selling key players during the upcoming summer transfer window. In fact, there have already been reports of interest in defender Ronald Araújo from other clubs.
Eduard Romeu played a significant role in supporting Laporta’s presidency, assisting in securing necessary guarantors for Laporta’s appointment and contributing to the sale of club assets in 2022 to fund important signings for the team. Laporta acknowledged Romeu’s contribution by stating, “He has been a key person in bailing the club out financially.” However, Romeu cited an “incompatibility” with new professional commitments as the reason for his resignation.
While Laporta has praised the progress made by the club in terms of financial recovery under his leadership, Barcelona has faced challenges throughout the current season. The failed sale of a 10% stake in Barça Studios to a German investment fund for €40 million has impacted the club’s financial stability. This, combined with other issues, has made it difficult for Barcelona to meet their financial targets for the year.
The resignation of Eduard Romeu adds to the ongoing upheaval within Barcelona since Laporta’s election in March 2021. Romeu’s predecessors and numerous other directors and executives have also stepped down in recent times. Furthermore, there have been significant changes within the football setup, with key figures departing for various reasons. The continuous changes within the club’s leadership structures and football operations indicate a period of transition and uncertainty for Barcelona.
The resignation of Eduard Romeu as Barcelona’s vice president of finance highlights the complex financial challenges facing the club. As Barcelona navigates their economic difficulties and works towards financial stability, the departure of key personnel like Romeu adds to the uncertainty surrounding the club’s future direction and decision-making processes.
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