Barcelona have been thrown into chaos by a FIFA ruling that bans them from signing players for the next two transfer windows.
The club are in desperate need of summer reinforcements with goalkeeper Victor Valdes, defender Carles Puyol and possibly midfielder Xavi Hernandez all leaving in the summer.
Barça had earmarked up to £100million for new recruits with a new keeper, two defenders and a midfielder as their priorities but those plans will need to be shelved for a year after the game’s governing body banned and fined the Catalan club for illegally signing Under 18 players.
They have 90 days to contest the fine of £307,000 and the ruling that concerns the signing of 10 young players signed between 2009 and 2013. The Spanish FA have also been fined £331,000 for contravening article 19 of FIFA regulations concerning the signing of young players.
The transfer ban has cast a shadow of doubt over moves already agreed for Borussia Monchengladbach keeper Marc-Andre ter Stergen and Croatian 17-year-old Alen Halilovic, who turns 18 in June.
Barcelona hope that similar action taken against Chelsea over the signing of Gael Kakuta, which was eventually overturned, will see them successfully contest the judgement.
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