EFL League One side Bolton Wanderers have claimed that they are due a development fee from Barcelona after Marcos Alonso's move from Chelsea to the Spanish giants. The English third-division team became the second club to demand a payment from Barca after Spanish fourth-tier side Union Adarve also lodged a complaint with FIFA.
Mundo Deportivo have reported that Bolton have demanded a development fee from the Blaugrana since Alonso was a part of their squad from 2010 to 2013. It was the Spaniard's first foray into English football before joining Chelsea in 2016.
This comes after Union Adarve previously claimed a sum of €103,000 as formation rights over the same deal. Diario AS and Mundo Deportivo have reported that the club possess evidence that Alonso's move as a free agent was agreed upon beforehand by the clubs. The deal involved Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joining the London side, according to the report.
Agarve have also reported the Spanish giants to La Liga over the matter. Barcelona could face serious repercussions if the case is proven to be true.
The accusations by Bolton are the latest addition to a growing pile of problems for the Blaugrana, who are already set to face legal battles over accusations of bribing referees. The club allegedly made payments to former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira and could face a ban from UEFA competitions.
Barcelona goalkeeper discusses brawl with Real Madrid star after El Clasico
Barcelona's backup goalkeeper Arnau Tenas has explained his row with Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal. The pair were seen arguing following Barca's late winner and had to be separated.
Speaking to Sport, Tenas said:
“Everything is fixed now, I don’t have any problem with him or with anyone. These are things that stay on the field. I was going to celebrate with my teammates, he came and what he told me will remain between him and me. We talked about it and it’s solved.”
Following Barcelona's dramatic 2-1 victory, Tenas rushed to the field to celebrate with his teammates. He was then involved in a heated exchange with the Los Blancos right-back, who put a hand on the youngster's neck. Tempers flared and the players had to be pulled away from each other.
Tenas also offered his support to teammate Ansu Fati, who has endured a poor run of form. He said:
“He’s always been a very dynamic player. Now he’s going through a bit of a tough time, but he’s very strong mentally and I’m sure he’ll bounce back.”
Barcelona's next game will be away to Elche in the league on Saturday, April 1.