Barcelona, a billion dollars in debt, must build a squad to meet its princely ambitions on a pauper’s budget. The club’s wish list does not extend much beyond the giveaway aisle: Sergio Agüero, Georginio Wijnaldum, Eric García and Memphis Depay are all out of contract, all available for nothing, a cut-price cavalry. Real Madrid’s president, Florentino Pérez, knows his fans crave a Galáctico but also that he cannot afford one. The Lille team that won the French title will be stripped for parts. Spending in the January transfer window was a fraction of its normal level across all of Europe’s top five leagues.

Source: New York Times May 27, 2021 03:56 UTC