Spanish journalist Toni Juanmarti has revealed that there’s a significant clause in Gundogan’s contract that could permit him to depart from the club for free if he isn’t registered in time for Barcelona’s initial La Liga fixture against Getafe.
The midfielder made a free transfer to the Catalan club from Manchester City, even rejecting a contract extension from his previous team, the treble winners, in pursuit of his long-standing aspiration to join the Spanish giants.
However, the delay in his registration has sparked concerns, particularly due to Barcelona’s financial challenges.
Should he depart without a transfer fee, Barcelona would still be obligated to cover his annual salary of €10 million (£8.64 million or $11 million) for the first year of his three-year contract.
At present, Barcelona has only 13 players registered with La Liga. Nonetheless, the departures of Ousmane Dembele to PSG and Franck Kessie to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli are set to infuse much-needed funds into the club’s coffers.
Furthermore, President Joan Laporta is prepared to sell a 16% stake in Barca Studios, valued at €65 million (£56.15 million or $71.5 million), to a German investment firm, aiming to further bolster the financial standing of the club.
With the La Liga opener against Getafe merely days away, the pressure is mounting on Barcelona to swiftly conclude Gundogan’s registration process.
Laporta, the club’s president, is actively engaged in securing player sales and formulating financial strategies to ensure the team’s stability. Meanwhile, whether Gundogan will participate in the Joan Gamper Trophy against Tottenham on Tuesday remains to be seen.