In the nick of time! Laporta sells club assets to register Gundogan in time for new season

Barcelona have sold nearly a third of shares in the club's digital platform Barca Vision for $132 million, the Spanish champions announced on Friday in a move which should ease the recruitment of new players.

German-based LIBERO football finance AG and private investors, advised by Dutch company NIPA Capital B.V. have become new partners in Bridgeburg Invest, the holding company of Barca Vision, the club said in a statement.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta announced the deal.

"The investors have acquired a total of 29.5 percent of the ownership of Barca Vision Bridgeburg for $132 million. This step we are taking now is a strategic move that provides us with new resources to continue growing at a time when the demand for digital sports content is clearly expanding."

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The sale also allows Barca to generate enough revenue to register their latest signings, such as Germany's Ilkay Gundogan, and other key players like Ronald Araujo, just two days before the club's league season opener against Getafe. The Catalan club also announced an agreement "with Mountain & Co. I Acquisition Corp (NASDAQ: MCAA), a special purpose acquisition company focused on the sector of European digital media and technology".

As part of this transaction, Barcelona will merge its digital Barca Vision and audiovisual content units under the brand "Barca Media" to access additional financing through the US capital markets and target new audiences. Barcelona said it expects Barca Media "to become a significant source of income for the club" and a business valued at $1 billion.

The Catalan giants won their 27th Spanish championship last season and first since 2019.