FIFA has muddied the water in Barcelona’s transfer ban by telling Sky Sports News that the Spanish side can sign players this year as long as they do not register them before next January.
Last April, Barca were found guilty of breaking FIFA rules on the transfer of players under the age of 18 and banned from registering any new players for 14 months.
Barca appealed that decision to The Court of Arbitration for Sport, but in December they were told the transfer ban stands.
Barca could not sign anyone in January and are banned from bringing in any new players this summer.
But FIFA said that did not mean there was anything to stop Barcelona from talking to potential transfer targets or actually purchasing players on the condition that they were not registered before January.
It added, however, that such talks would go against the spirit of the ruling.
I don;t think that Barca care about the spirit of the ruling, as they don’t believe tbat they have done anything wrong.
What will be interesting this summer is if Barca go out and sign pre-contract deals with players and clubs for signings that would not arrive at the Camp Nou until January 2016.
If that happens, that could totally change the Spanish title race next season and the Champions League race if three or four world class players moved to Barcelona.