Barcelona have included Dani Olmo in their squad for Saturday's clash with Athletic Club at the Estadio Olimpico as they race to register him for LaLiga in time.
Olmo, 26, joined Barca from RB Leipzig for an initial fee of 55 million euros ($61.6 million) earlier this summer but his move to the league has yet to be finalised due to the club's ongoing financial problems.
Barça continues to exceed the annual spending limit imposed by the League (a cap that all Spanish clubs have and which is determined approximately by the difference between a team's income minus non-sporting expenses and debt payments) and must reduce the wage bill and/or increase income to register new signings.
As a result, Olmo missed the opening round win against Valencia last weekend.
However, he has been named in the squad to face Athletic, although Barça assure that his inclusion is “pending the completion of the player's registration with LaLiga.”
Barça are working on a series of departures to try to make Olmo available for coach Hansi Flick on Saturday.
Ilkay Gündogan's departure to Manchester City has already been confirmed, while Clément Lenglet, Mikayil Faye and Vitor Roque are also close to leaving.
Sources have confirmed to ESPN that Lenglet will sign a contract extension until 2027, spreading his remaining salary over two years instead of three, before leaving on a season-long loan to LaLiga side Atletico Madrid.
Defender Faye will join French club Rennes for an initial fee of €14m as part of a deal that includes several add-ons and clauses that would allow Barca to re-sign the young Senegalese international in the future.
Roque, meanwhile, will join Real Betis on loan after failing to secure a place in Barça's first team following his €35 million transfer from Club Athletico Paranaense in January.
Meanwhile, midfielder Fermin Lopez has been called up to Barca for the first time this season after returning from a period of rest following his success with Spain at the European Championships and the Olympic Games this summer.
However, Andreas Christensen will not be present as he has an Achilles tendon problem and will be out of action for several weeks.
“I don't think he can help the team. [at the moment] “And he knows that,” Flick said at a news conference on Friday. “Last year he played a lot of games of only 60 minutes with problems. Now we will deal with that.”
Barça will also be without Ronald Araújo, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong and Ansu Fati, who are out for the long term.
