07.06.2009 16:20

“We will reinforce the team so that they are still hungry for titles”

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Before taking part in a lunch to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Peña Azulgrana de Igualada, Laporta has said that he wants to being in new players to ensure the squad still has a hunger to win titles.

The Barça president was speaking to the press before enjoying a lunch in honour of the first century of existence of the Peña Azulgrana de Igualada. Speaking to Barça TV and the club website, Joan Laporta said “it is always said that after winning a lot a team can fall into a phase of decadence” and that to avoid this, the club “will reinforce the team so that they are still hungry for titles”.

Club to maintain “good criteria and sensibility” in signing

The pressmen in presence quizzed him on the matter of how the club was going to deal with the inflating transfer fees of modern times. “I hope we don’t end up paying excessive prices for players. In the club’s point of view, we need to maintain good criteria and sensibility in this sense”.

Positive ideas

Joan Laporta also added that “Barça have a footballing model that combines products of our youth system with top class players … This season we have displayed an attack-based ideology and offered spectacle, which has all shown that the first team’s football works.”

Valdés, “best keeper in the world”

When asked about a possible extension to Víctor Valdés’ contract, he made it clear that his intention is for the keeper to stay “because he is the best keeper in the world. We understand that he wants to stay, and now we have to end our negotiations with his agent.” As for Samuel Eto'o, Joan Laporta said “there is no need to look for a player who shares Eto'o’s profile if we already have him”.