Barcelona announce player budget

European champions Barcelona have announced a budget of 45 million euros for the two-month summer transfer window.

Manager Pep Guardiola will also have any money acquired from the sale of players to use for the window, which closes on August 31, the club announced on Wednesday.

The Catalan giants, who are reportedly chasing Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas and Villareal striker Giuseppe Rossi, will need funds from the possible sales of Jeffren Suarez and Bojan Krkic to pay for the duo.

Barcelona vice-president for economic affairs, Javier Faus, revealed the budget on the club’s website.

“Barcelona have 45 million euros for transfers, plus the money that can be obtained from sales of players in the close season,” Faus said.

“When we speak about sales we will only consider those that are beneficial to the club. The Spanish Super Cup, to be played against Real Madrid in August, would bring in some three million euros of extra income.”

Faus said he was pleased with a result that saw the club trim their spending by 54 million euros, down from 495 million euros to 441.

The year to the end of June also saw the club benefit from 420 million euros in revenue.

“We are delighted with that outcome.” Faus said.

“It is the best possible investment because Barca has never been as recognised in brand terms as it is now.”

The results also saw the clubs gross debt drop from 532 million euros to 483, as well as the net debt from 431 million euros to 364.

Faus said the goal was to drop those numbers even further over the next year.

“There has been a very significant effort, which will continue over the next two years, to cut this debt,” he said.