After signing with Barcelona over the summer, Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal are both finally able to make their debuts with the Spanish giants.
Barcelona was found guilty of breaching multiple transfer regulations for youth players in 2014, and the club was placed under an embargo, unable to register new players until 2016.
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With that ban now lifted, Turan and Vidal can make their long-awaited debuts, with manager Luis Enrique saying both will play in Barcelona’s Copa del Rey match against Espanyol on Wednesday.
Vidal moved to Barca from Sevilla for $20 million in June, while Turan signed from Atletico Madrid for more than $35 million in July. Both players chose to sign with the Spanish giants despite knowing they could not feature until January.
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Vidal is coming off of the best year of his career with Sevilla, helping the club to the Europa League title and earning his first cap with the Spain national team. An extremely versatile player able to play as a fullback or as a winger, the 26-year-old was named to the Europa League squad of the season last year.
Turan is one of the best midfielders in Europe, and was touted for a big-money move to the Premier League before signing with Barcelona. He was shortlisted for the UEFA Team of the Year in 2014, and captained Turkey to a berth in June’s European Championship.
Barcelona registered a total of 77 players with the embargo now lifted, although Turan and Vidal were the only with the first-team.
