mateu alemany will leave the FC Barcelona in summer. The news came barely half an hour after Barça sealed their close victory against Osasuna. A statement from the Barcelona entity warned that the football director, one of the pillars of Joan Laportawill end his contractual relationship on July 1, despite the fact that his relationship with the Barça club is until 2024. His destination is the astonville of the Premier.
Alemany explained to the Barca president that he wants to start a new professional stage, but at the same time, according to the statement, he guaranteed that “he will complete the summer market with the entity, even if there is one that takes place on the last day.” A transitory combination of two positions that seems very difficult.
future discrepancies
The departure of Alemany has caused perplexity in the Barcelona environment, unexpectedly, despite the fact that the club ensures that it is a “friendly” break.
The sports director told Laporta a few days ago that he had received a very powerful offer, practically inalienable, from Aston Villa, which he is currently directing from the bench Unai Emery with very good performance. Already in February it was published that the Birmingham club had tempted Alemany, but he seemed to prioritize his continuity at Barça.
Now Aston Villa has upped the ante and has taken over the services of Laporta’s trusted executive, who has praised him endlessly at every opportunity. The English club signed in February Damia Vidagany as coordinator of the sports area of the first team. The Valencian executive participated in the structure of Valencia CF between 2008 and 2017, and coincided there with Alemany. Also with Emery, who has relaunched the villains to place them at the gates of the European competition.
Besides the “irresistible” offer, there could be other discrepancies in sports planning. Not so much with Xavi, despite the fact that they had a difference of criteria in winter about the renewal of Ousmane Dembélé, but with the executive sphere closest to Laporta. Apart from the new salary, the complexities of the club and the volatility of internal opinions to configure the squad and Design the sports strategy for transfers and casualties, they have ended up pushing Alemany out of the Camp Nou.
“It’s going to be an interesting market,” Alemany said on Saturday after Barça-Betis.
impact output
The difficulties to sign in the next market are now multiplying with his departure, which is added to the crucial element of having to reduce the wage bill by nearly 200 million and signing without money.
“It’s going to be an interesting market,” Alemany said on Saturday after the game against Betis. He has put a grain of salt after requesting his separation from Barça after just over two years of his signing, announced in February 2021, before the elections on March 7.
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The entity intends to sign a replacement for Alemany, an impact departure comparable to that of Ferran Reverser as CEO. The first name that appeared was that of Antonio Cordón, who has been the last sports director of Betis. Barça sources denied that he is the candidate.
The rumor mill of the signings, some of which are already finalized (the central defender Iñigo Martínez, from Athletic, and the midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, from Manchester City), will also extend to the figure of the possible substitute for Alemany.