Barcelona is planning a final attempt to re-register Dani Olmo after the official ruling from La Liga

Barcelona plan to approach the Spanish government in one last desperate attempt to re-register Dani Olmo after La Liga and the national football federation officially rejected the club’s application.

Olmo unwittingly found himself at the center of an unprecedented legal dispute. After arriving in Barcelona for a fee of around €60m (£50m) in the summer, the Spain international had to wait until the third week of the season before the club found room within their tight budget to register him. However, it was only a temporary measure which expired on December 31.

Spanish National Football Federation (RFEF) regulations prevent any player from obtaining a second registration to play for the same club in one season. Barcelona twice approached the city’s commercial courts to challenge La Liga’s ability to enforce these rules, but they quickly rejected on both occasions.

Joint statement of La Liga and RFEF officially confirmed rejecting Barcelona’s latest request to re-register the two players on Saturday, hours before Hansi Flick’s side kick off their Copa del Rey campaign against fifth-division side Barbastro.

Club president Joan Laporta claimed to have reached out to him necessary funds to sign Olmo – and young striker Pau Victor, who is in the same perilous position – but no outside party can guarantee income from unnamed Middle Eastern investors before the December 31 deadline. Barcelona belatedly confirmed the VIP seating deal on Friday, January 3 with the permission of La Liga – although that does not change the fact that Olmo’s registration has expired.

Now, Barcelona is going above La Liga and the RFEF with an appeal to the Higher Sports Council (CSD), the sports arm of the Spanish government, according to multiple reports.

The Athletic claim that Barcelona will at least seek temporary permission to register Olmo and Victor to avoid potential damage that could be caused to the two players pending a final decision.

Spanish publication SPORT revealed that the hearing will take place on Tuesday, January 7, and the club remains defiantly “optimistic” about the situation. That positive attitude could even lead to Barcelona including Olmo and Victor in the squad that will travel to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup next week in the hope that a solution can be found before Wednesday’s semi-final against Athletic Club.

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