Published 16:32 IST, July 1st 2020
How Barcelona and Juventus will profit from the Arthur-Pjanic swap worth a combined €137m
Barcelona and Juventus have agreed on a swap deal between Arthur Melo and Miralem Pjanic and both clubs will benefit from the sale of the two players.
Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic will join LaLiga giants Barcelona at the end of the season in a deal worth a reported €65 million ($73million). A few hours after the Pjanic deal was confirmed, Juventus announced that Barcelona star Arthur Melo will arrive at Turin at the end of the current campaign in a deal worth €72million ($80m). The total worth of the Arthur-Pjanic swap deal adds up to a whopping €137million ($153m) with both teams benefitting from two separate transfers rather than Juventus simply paying Barcelona €7million ($7.8m) upfront for the Arthur-Pjanic swap.
ALSO READ: Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool Script Glory Out Of Fractured Fairytale As Inevitables Stand Tall
Football transfer news: How Barcelona and Juventus stand to profit from the Arthur-Pjanic swap
Although there is a net difference of a mere €7million in favour of Barcelona in the Arthur-Pjanic swap deal, Juventus and Barcelona will both report close to €52 million ($58m) in profit due to the way player contracts and transfers are handled by football clubs on the accounting front. As reported by Swiss Ramble on Twitter, when a player is purchased by any club, the costs are spread out across the length of the player's contract. However, when a player is sold the profits are immediately logged in the account books as clubs treat players similar to financial assets.
ALSO READ: Chelsea Unveil New Home Kit Inspired By Traditional Craft Of London Tailoring, Fans React
Barcelona signed Arthur for a reported €30m ($33m) on a six-year contract, meaning they paid off that amount in blocks of €5m ($5.6m). While Arthur's value reduced by €5m each year, his book value is a reported €20m ($22m) currently. Therefore, his sale to Juventus for a reported €72m accounts as a direct €52m profit for Barcelona.
On the other side of the deal, Juventus signed Pjanic for a reported €35m ($39m) from AS Roma on a five-year deal in 2016. After two years in Turin, his book value stood at €21m ($23m). In 2018, Juventus gave him a two-year contract extension which took the annual payments down to €4.2m ($4.5m). When Barcelona agreed a deal to sign Pjanic, his book value was an estimated €13m ($14m), meaning his €65m sale will go down as a €52m profit for the Serie A table-toppers.
Arthur-Pjanic swap deal within Financial Fair Play rules
Football clubs are currently in the midst of a financial crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic. With the loss of commercial revenue and no matchday revenue due to games being held behind closed doors, the profits from the Arthur-Pjanic swap deal appear to be a win-win for both clubs. More so, the Arthur-Pjanic swap deal remains well in line withing UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules, in what will come as a respite for Barcelona, considering their recent big-money deals.
Image Credits - Miralem Pjanic, Arthur Melo Instagram
Updated 16:32 IST, July 1st 2020