Laporta: “we’re working to improve Messi’s contract”
David Saura (special correspondent)
Club President Joan Laporta admitted that Barca were working to improve Leo Messi’s contract and the negotiations were: “coming along fine”. Club representatives spoke to the player’s father about the situation during the stay in LA.
Following the Seattle Sounders and UNICEF event, Joan Laporta spoke about the negotiations to
improve Leo Messi’s contract: “there’s a very good relation between both parts.
They know that we want the player to feel happy here, he’s a great player, a home grown lad
and we’re proud to have him, the best player in the world with us at the club. The
negotiations are coming along fine”.
Mutual commitment
For the President, the main guarantee of success in the negotiations is
the commitment from both sides: “Barca will always do whatever is needed to keep him happy
here and we know that he has a real commitment to Barca, which has to be reflected in how we treat
him at all levels. The club will always honour that commitment and love that he has for
Barca”.
Team leader
Laporta stressed that: “Messi has become a leader this season and that has been
possible thanks to the skill of his manager and the fact that the staff have worked to build a
great squad”. Laporta also praised the work Diego Armando Maradona had put in with Messi as
Argentina manager.
“Market wide open”
As to more transfers, Laporta explained: “the market is wide open and there
may still be things going to happen, but we will not stretch ourselves beyond our means. We will
act responsibly”.
Despite the difficulties of the inflated market, Laporta insisted: “we’ve given a
boost to our attacking options with the arrival of Ibrahimovic, which is what the manager asked
for”.
Happy with the youngsters
The performance of the home grown players has also pleased Laporta: “they are an
expression of our identity. Guardiola has had the courage and vision to bring them in; he
understands what this club means. This way of viewing the game means our club is viable and
sustainable”.
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International image
After admitting that: “the Tour brings in income to the club which is important for our
viability”, Laporta also stressed the other advantages of the trip: “we have a name
ands an image in the USA, where people know what we are, what we do and what we represent. We are a
global club and we have to take advantage of that without losing our Catalan identity. This Barca
which has shown itself to be proudly Catalan, is also the most universal Barca in the history of
the club”.