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Barcelona suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at the hands of Monaco at Stade Louis II on Thursday, September 19, in their Champions League opener. Lamine Yamal's 28th minute strike proved to be a mere consolation as the Ligue 1 giants ended Hansi Flick's golden start to the season.
Meanwhile, La Liga president Javier Tebas has stated that the Catalans are close to returning to the 1:1 Rule. Elsewhere, Chelsea have set their sights on Jules Kounde.
On that note, let's look at the major Barcelona transfer stories from September 20, 2024.
Barcelona close to 1:1 Rule, says La Liga chief
La Liga president Javier Tebas has stated that Barcelona are very close to putting their financial troubles behind them. The Catalans were restricted in the summer transfer market as they couldn't achieve the 1:1 rule, which would have allowed them to spend every Euro they brought in.
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Barcelona failed to find new investors and also couldn't get the Nike deal over the line in time. As such, Barcelona ended up missing out on their top targets of the window. However, Tebas has stated that the Nike deal will help restore the club's financial health.
Speaking on the Wild Project on YouTube, the La Liga president commended the Catalans for drastically reducing their wage bill.
“Barça are in less bad shape than people think. When Laporta became president they declared a loss of €560 million. Someone has to put them in. They had a wage bill of €600 million. Unless we let them sign players, they are not going to sell them. That’s why the famous 60% rule," said Tebas.
He continued:
"Right now Barça are close to the 1:1 rule. From the one where Barcelona’s levers were forbidden, there was a queue of clubs who wanted to do the same. I hope and wish that Barcelona can be on the 1:1 rule in January. The Nike deal is going to help them a lot. They have cut €200 million in wage bill, that’s a barbaric amount.”
The Catalan giants have enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign under Hansi Flick, winning five of their six games across competitions.
Chelsea want Jules Kounde in January
Chelsea are planning to move for Jules Kounde at the turn of the year, according to SPORT. The Blues are looking for a new right-back amid Reece James' sustained fitness woes.
The Englishman is yet to kick a ball this season and missed 38 games last campaign with injuries. Moreover, the player is also on Real Madrid's radar. While Malo Gusto has performed admirably in his absence, but the London giants believe reinforcements are in order.
Chelsea have set their sights on Kounde as an option. The Frenchman has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in the past but the transfer never materialize. While he started out as a central defender, Kounde has found great success after switching to the right-back role at Camp Nou.
The 25-year-old has been an omnipresent figure under Hansi Flick this season as well, playing every minute of every game so far. The Blues are pleased with his efforts and are apparently willing to offer €60m for his services in January. However, Barcelona consider Kounde a key part of plans and are unlikely to let him go in the middle of the season.
Robert Lewandowski rejected massive offer to leave Camp Nou this summer
Robert Lewandowski turned down a contract offer worth €60m per season from the Middle East this summer, according to Carrusel Deportivo. The Pole is already in the final phase of his career but remains one of the most dangerous strikers in the world.
Lewandowski was approached with a massive proposal to move to Saudi Arabia this summer. The 36-year-old is among the top earners at Camp Nou, but the move would have significantly improved his salary.
However, Lewandowski opted to stay with Barcelona and it has proven to be a masterstroke. The Polish striker has appeared six times across competitions this season, scoring four goals and setting up two more. He has been a leader in attack, combining very well with Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Dani Olmo.
