Barcelona have caused an uproar when they signed Denmark striker Martin Braithwaite from relegation strugglers La Liga side Leganes, after paying 18 million euros release clause.
They have done so after receiving permission from the La Liga organising body to acquire a player outside the transfer window.
The 28-year-old, who scored six league goals in 21 games for Leganes, has signed the contract until June 2024.
Barca initially decided not to sign a forward in the January transfer window after Luis Suarez was ruled out for four months following knee surgery.
However, they suddenly need another striker after French international Ousmane Dembele ruptured his hamstring and was ruled out for six months.
According to La Liga regulations, unlike in other major European leagues, clubs in Spain are allowed to sign a player outside the transfer window under special circumstances.
Leganes, however, became the victims of the regulations.
They are second-last in La Liga and have been forced to part ways with their two key strikers since January after Youssef En-Nesyri left for Sevilla who paid 20 million euro release clause.
Leganes chief executive, Martin Ortega blamed the rule as it weakened his team which is fighting to avoid from relegation.
“We believe this rule is not fair and Barcelona have benefited from it while Leganes have been harmed by it. We want to raise our voices because we’re in a very serious situation and have suffered a lot of damage,” he told reporters.
“We cannot understand the ruling that allows a club that has an injured player to carry out an operation like this unilaterally and transfer their problem to another club.”
However, he believes Barcelona have done a proper deal to sign Braithwaite.
“Barcelona have acted correctly, they told us on Monday of their intentions and the only way to get him was to pay the clause,” Ortega said.
“We want to thank the player who has been professional until he left the club and who has been performed superbly for us.”
Braithwaite began his career with Danish side Esbjerg, later moving to Ligue 1 club Toulouse and then English outfit Middlesbrough, also playing on loan for Girondins Bordeaux.
He has made 39 appearances for Denmark, including four matches at the 2018 World Cup.