The Barça leader hopes to close advantageous economic agreements soon, plans to sign a scorer, if possible Haaland, and does not hide that he wants to develop a presidential management in these times of reconstruction
Joan Laporta he feels proud, if he has ever ceased to be so. Xavi Hernandez it has breathed sporting euphoria and the economic comeback seems more feasible with voluminous deals just around the corner. In an informal meeting with journalists to review Barça news on the first anniversary of his mandate, Laporta appeared as a vitaminized and expansive president. If he eluded any topic of Barcelona interest, he did not seem so.
HAALAND, ADVANTAGE FOR THE CITY.
Laporta is convinced that FC Barcelona will have the financial muscle to tackle the mammoth signing of Erling Haaland. An operation that between the 75 million payment to Borussia Dortmund, the player’s salary and various commissions will amount, according to the calculations of the Barcelona entity, to about 250 million euros. Barça will have fierce competition to recruit the striker. In fact, he considers the top Barça manager that Manchester City has an advantage. Because of the purchasing power of the club owned by the United Arab Emirates, because his father played there and because of the magnetism that Pep Guardiola radiates. But Laporta does not give the arm to twist. “We’ll be there,” he dropped. He will have to be attentive to PSG if he loses Mbappé and to Madrid if he does not catch the aforementioned.
CLOSE AGREEMENT WITH CVC
It may be surprising that a club that comes from a very delicate financial situation and with hardly any salary margin applies to hire such a precious and expensive star. To achieve this, advanced negotiation is crucial to generate new income, either with the CVC Capital Partners fund, which comes from the hand of LaLiga, or with similar proposals. It is estimated that the first route, the preferred one, would mean an immediate injection of some 300 million, which would not be considered debt but direct income. And it would also widen the wage margin by around 75 million euros, having the approval of Javier Thebes. This will not require Barcelona to disassociate itself from the European Super League.
GREAT OFFER FOR BARÇA STUDIOS
Another alternative source of income to CVC, or added, we will see, will be the sale of 49% of Barça Studios, the audiovisual content platform. Barça has a succulent offer of around 350 million of that percentage. It is another advanced negotiation.
FOUR SIGNINGS
Barça plans to make at least four signings this summer and one of them will be the center forward, Haaland or whoever (president Rafael Leao, from ACMilan, likes it). There is a practically sealed agreement with the Danish center-back Andreas Christensen (25 years old), from Chelsea. He hopes to also incorporate a full-back and a powerful midfielder. This profile is brought together by the Ivorian Frank Kessie (25 years old), from ACMilan, whose landing is on track. Like Christensenit would come for free. César Azpilicueta is now in the air. At the same time, signing competition for Ter Stegen will be studied.
THERE WILL BE DEPARTURES
Busquets, Piqué and Alba, three veterans with a high record, will continue. Dani Alves will also be renewed and it remains to be seen if Adama Traoré will be able to continue. It will depend on whether Wolverhampton executes the Trincao option. They both have similar ratings. The club ends Sergi Roberto’s cycle. And he would like to receive good offers for Coutinho, shining at Aston Villa, and Memphis Depay. The same goes for Lenglet and Umtiti. The unknowns: Ronald Araujowith many offers and a representative who can give surprises, and Gavi, whose negotiation is still in its infancy.
JORDI CRUYFF, TECHNICAL SECRETARY
The son of the ‘Prophet’ has acquired stripes in all these sports decisions along with Mateu Alemany at the executive level and Xavi Hernández, who must give the go-ahead for all operations. Jordi already acts as technical secretary, although the appointment will not be official until June. A team of three that has forged a chemistry that pleases the president.
COMPLICITY WITH XAVI
Despite initial reluctance, Laporta has connected very well with the Barça coach on a personal level. He has taken advantage of the opportunity offered by Terrassa, but he also shares with the president what happens in the team, something that he, as a football fan, appreciates and that he missed in Ronald Koeman, more hermetic.
A GREAT FAMILY COMPANY
Joan Laporta has become unapologetically presidential. He has taken over with the treasurer Ferran Olive the entire management of the club after the departure of Ferran Reverter, which will not be replaced in the short term. Later he could hire a general manager, but Laporta believes that the directors are the ones who risk their assets and must, therefore, gain weight in the decisions. Hence the desire to reduce the mass of executives. Laporta thinks of Barça as a great family business, particularly in these times of reconstruction.
SPOTIFY CAMP NOU
The agreement with the Swedish company is pending closing fringes of documentation to be officially announced. What is certain is that the name of the brand will go ahead of Camp Nou. As explained, Spotify will appear on the first team, training and women’s team jerseys.
TRANSFER TO MONTJUÏC
Laporta assumes that Barça will have to move for one season, 2023-2024, to the Olympic stadium. The retrofitting costs will be 20 million. Subscribers must submit to rotating shifts to see the team in person.
TRIBUTE TO MESSI
Laporta knows well that his relationship with Leo Messi has deteriorated after a departure that Rosario did not expect. He does not regret the decision he made, it is the one that played for the good of Barça, he considers himself, but he would like to pay tribute to him. On the 125th anniversary of the club, in 2024, with the works about to finish at the Camp Nou, it would be a good time, he believes.
THE SUPER LEAGUE IS ALIVE
It is not dead, far from it, in the head of the Barcelona president. She is at the expense, like Florentino Pérez and Andrea Agnelli, the promoters standing, of a decision of the European justice that puts an end to the so-called UEFA monopoly. Laporta considers the Super League a superior source of income, obviously, but also an instrument to combat club-states such as City or PSG, which in his opinion have the collusion of UEFA. Once the sentence arrives (there is faith that it will produce at the end of the year), the competition will resume its path, presumably with an open model.
Related news
HELP URDANGARIN
Laporta is willing to help Iñaki Urdangarin in any way possible. The president indicated that the husband of the Infanta Cristina de Borbón has already finished his internship at the Barça club to train as a coach and was affectionate with him. He commented that he prefers not to value his activities outside of sport, but that he greatly appreciates his Barça past. And he added that if he now wants to be a coach, he is willing to lend a hand. He has no connection with the club, but Laporta seemed to leave the door open for him to join the handball technical organization chart in the future.