By TRAVIS CLARK
Even the kings of Spain aren't immune from financial problems as new FC Barcelona president Sandro Rossell revealed this week that the club failed to pay wages in June.
According to the Daily Telegraph, in order to alleviate some cash flow problems, the club had to take out a loan of €150 million, and also sell defender Dmitro Chygrynskiy back to his former club Shakhtar Donetsk for €15 million. Chygrynskiy had been acquired last year for €25 million.
In the face of the financial strife, Rossell was adamant that there is still money to bring in new players, citing a figure of around €50 million available. Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas is the club's current top transfer target, but it remains to be seen if the London club will part with their captain and at what price.
Here are a few other stories for Wednesday:
FABREGAS TRAINS, COULD START AGAINST GERMANY
Barcelona target Fabregas, an injury concern for Spain ahead of the semifinal, fully trained on Tuesday and should be available if Vincente Del Bosque elects to start the 23-year-old against Germany. Fabregas had suffered an injury in a previous training session, and was also a concern thanks to a shoulder knock. Even if fit, there's no guarantee that he'd start, as all the minutes Fabregas has seen in this tournament have been off the substitute's bench.
FORLAN AIMS FOR THIRD-PLACE GAME
Uruguay striker Diego Forlan hopes to be fit for Saturday's third place game in Port Elizabeth. Forlan was subbed off against the Netherlands in the 84th minute because of a thigh injury, leaving his availability for Uruguay's last match of the 2010 World Cup in doubt. He still has an outside chance of at least tying for the Golden Boot, trailing Spain's David Villa and the Netherlands' Wesley Sneijder by one goal.
MANCHESTER CITY EYE PODOLSKI
German striker Lukas Podolski, enjoying another strong outing for his national team, is attracting interest from England's high spending club Manchester City. The 25-year-old is fresh off a rather mediocre season for Bundesliga outfit FC Cologne, and has developed a reputation for failing to translate his country form to the club level. Nonetheless, with a bright tournament in South Africa, Manchester City leads the list of clubs interested, one that also includes AC Milan, Fenerbahce and Juventus. However, Podolski seems most likely to return to Cologne at the end of the tournament.
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What do you think of Barcelona's financial problems? Will Fabregas start against Germany? Can Forlan win the Golden Boot? Think Podolski will make a move?
Share your thoughts below.