Barcelona ask for 150million-euro credit extension

Spanish champions Barcelona have asked for a 150-million-euro credit extension to help its short-term cash flow, club president Sandro Rossell announced on Tuesday.

“We have found a club in debt and with cash flow problems but we are in the process of resolving that,” Rossell told radio RAC1.

Rossell was elected president in June, replacing Juan Laporte who was at the helm for seven years, and made it his priority to find the resources and cash to keep up to date with the club’s short-term debts.

“Our creditors can breathe easily. The club is not in danger and this week we will have everything we need to pay the salaries of the players, coaches and staff,” he said.

Rossell is heading to South Africa on Friday where he will have a series of meetings with “people from the football world and with an interest in Barcelona”.

Barcelona have already banked 24 million euros from the sale last week of Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure to English side Manchester City.

And they recouped another 15 million on Tuesday when they sold Dmytro Chygrynskiy back to Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk.

However, they have also laid out 40 million on Valencia winger David Villa and are still hoping to sign Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas for a similar fee.

“Everyone knows that he (Fabregas) wants to come and that Barca wants him,” said Rossell who has ruled out the possibility of paying 50 million euros for the midfielder.