SAUDI CROWN PRINCE EYES €10 BILLION TAKEOVER OF DEBT-RIDDEN FC BARCELONA

Wed 17 December 2025:

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is reportedly preparing a €10 billion bid to buy FC Barcelona, according to a report by Spanish broadcaster El Chiringuito.

Saudi Arabia has established itself as a major force in global sport in recent years. While it has achieved significant success in Formula 1 and boxing, football remains a key ambition. Barcelona, one of the world’s most recognisable clubs, is currently ranked as the third most valuable football team globally, with an estimated market value of €4.7 billion.

That valuation, however, is modest when set against the wealth of the potential buyer. Mohammed bin Salman’s personal fortune is estimated at around €21.3 billion, while his family’s overall wealth — including substantial holdings in Saudi oil giant Aramco — is believed to amount to as much as €1.15 trillion.

Any takeover would face major obstacles. Unlike many elite clubs, Barcelona is owned by its members, known as socios, and governed through an assembly system. Club president Joan Laporta holds no controlling stake, with his personal share valued at only a few million euros. This ownership model has long limited Barcelona’s access to the kind of financial backing enjoyed by rivals such as Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City.

Should Mohammed bin Salman succeed in intervening, Barcelona would almost immediately become the richest club in world football, eclipsing even the state-backed wealth behind Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United.

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Takeover rumours amid Barcelona massive financial struggles

The rumoured Saudi interest arrives against the backdrop of Barcelona’s years-long financial crisis, which has forced the club into drastic measures. Heavy debt from the Josep Maria Bartomeu era (which ended in 2020), a record-breaking wage bill, and the COVID-19 revenue collapse collectively crippled the club’s ability to operate normally. These financial pressures triggered well-documented registration struggles under La Liga’s salary cap rules, forcing the club to delay signings, renegotiate contracts and activate multiple ‘economic levers’ to remain competitive.

Despite president Joan Laporta’s assurances that the club is stabilising, Barcelona still face enormous debt obligations, including the long-term repayment structure for the Espai Barca stadium (Camp Nou, the club’s training ground, and surrounding area) redevelopment loan. La Liga’s financial controls continue to restrict flexibility, meaning the club must constantly manoeuvre to balance registration demands with squad-building ambitions.

At the same time, Saudi Arabia’s football expansion has reached unprecedented levels, with the Crown Prince steering vast investment into the Saudi Pro League, high-profile transfers, and major club acquisitions. The magnitude of a Barcelona proposal fits the broader Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to diversify the kingdom’s economy and deploy football as a global soft-power tool. Yet even with immense financial resources, the Crown Prince cannot override the structural barriers protecting Barcelona’s ownership identity.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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