Barcelona transfer ban lifted: Catalan giants register 77 new players including Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal

Barcelona are set to add 77 new players to their ranks after their Fifa transfer ban was lifted on 4 January, according to Spanish media reports. This figure includes all of the signings made by the Catalan giants in recent months to bolster their squad, with former Atletico Madrid star Arda Turan and ex-Sevilla versatile wingman Aleix Vidal among the biggest names now available to play a part in the second half of Barca's season.

The current Champions League title-holders were banned from registering new signings in the two previous transfer windows – January 2015 and Summer 2015 – after breaching article 19 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, which states that international transfers of players are only permitted if the football in question is over the age of 18.

The embargo was originally handed down in April 2014 but was then temporarily lifted following an appeal, allowing Barcelona to make numerous deals in the summer of that year for the likes of Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic, Jeremy Mathieu, Thomas Vermaelen and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The club have been unable to register any new players since, leaving manager Luis Enrique short of first-team options, especially following the departures of Xavi Hernandez and Pedro Rodriguez last summer.

Barcelona officials have been working hard in recent months on the signatures of a number of players, and Mundo Deportivo alleges that the club have already registered 76 new stars with the lifting of the ban, including Turan and Vidal.

South Korean starlet Lee Seung-woo, one of the players whose attempted transfer led to Barcelona's ban being handed down, will take this number to 77 on 6 January when he turns 18. Turan and Vidal are available to make their debuts on 5 January in the Copa del Rey derby with Espanyol, having trained with Barca's first team since the summer.

Enrique, meanwhile, is still expected to sign at least one more star during the current mercato, with former Manchester City midfielder Denis Suarez and Celta Vigo forward Nolito among the candidates.

Meanwhile, Barcelona B, who are currently playing in the third division, has already added five new stars in the shape of Jokin Ezkieta, Moi Delgado, Xemi, Dani Romera and Brazilian starlet Robert Gonçalves.