Barcelona may need to rethink their salary structure in order to keep João Felix. The Portuguese striker, who took a significant pay cut when he joined Barcelona, described it as his dream club. He also faced difficulties at Atletico Madrid, where he was placed in the club's youth squad due to a conflict with manager Diego Simeone.
Despite being a player, Felix earns a relatively low salary of £344,440 per year. However, La Liga president Javier Tebas revealed that Felix's salary was multiplied tenfold for the purposes of the financial game. The loan club will pay the increased fees.
Barcelona have been facing financial difficulties due to a series of poor decisions, including losing Neymar in 2017 and not being able to reinvest the transfer fee. Lionel Messi's demands and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic have further exacerbated the club's financial crisis. Barcelona president Joan Laporta will now need to reassess the possibility of retaining Felix, who has proven his worth in 21 games, scoring six goals and providing three assists. It was previously reported that Barcelona wanted to sign Felix on a permanent basis, but Atletico Madrid demanded a transfer fee of between €70 million and €80 million, while Barcelona was valued at around €30 million to €40 million. To secure Felix's permanent signing, Barcelona need to find a solution that takes into account their existing financial difficulties and the player's increased salary.