FC Barcelona president, Josep Maria Bartomeu spoke on Neymar sale and uncertainty surrounding Messi's contract.
Neymar leaving
"Neymar saga distracted us too much. I would have preferred them to tell us before "we're going". We would have looked for a replacement in a normal market. The way it went wasn't right. "
"Historically, Barça grant transfer for players that want to leave (Cesc, Pedro, Alexis...) We don't stop players leaving. The same with Neymar, but we would have preferred to have Dembele at a better price."
"We can't be too pessimistic. It's an opportunity for Barcelona to break the trident and to bet on collective play. We're coming off Luis Enrique's project and now there's Valverde. There's total confidence in him. He's a manager that believes in the Barça model and in players from La Masia."
"We've earned 105 million and there's more to invest in football, in assets... Let's see what we do. It's an opportunity, with a new manager, a new project. We can't be pessimists. Let's stop being pessimistic!"
"Internally there's no pessimism. People think Neymar's exit weakens the team. It's the opposite. We have to take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen the team."
On Messi
"Contract is agreed and signed. There are three contracts. One with the Messi Foundation, which is signed with the president of the Foundations and the player's brother. There's an image rights contract with Messi, which is father has signed, who is the administrator of his company, and the employment contract, with his father has signed, who has the power to do so."
"Only thing lacking is that Leo arrives and we have the official photograph and the protocol of the signature. The contract's signed, it's valid from the month of June, from June 30, the same day that he got married, curiously. It's been audited because it goes into the accounts for last season. The renewal is included in the accounts for the closing of this season. There are no problems. It's just the protocol of the signature. We're relaxed."
Neymar leaving
"Neymar saga distracted us too much. I would have preferred them to tell us before "we're going". We would have looked for a replacement in a normal market. The way it went wasn't right. "
"Historically, Barça grant transfer for players that want to leave (Cesc, Pedro, Alexis...) We don't stop players leaving. The same with Neymar, but we would have preferred to have Dembele at a better price."
"We can't be too pessimistic. It's an opportunity for Barcelona to break the trident and to bet on collective play. We're coming off Luis Enrique's project and now there's Valverde. There's total confidence in him. He's a manager that believes in the Barça model and in players from La Masia."
"We've earned 105 million and there's more to invest in football, in assets... Let's see what we do. It's an opportunity, with a new manager, a new project. We can't be pessimists. Let's stop being pessimistic!"
"Internally there's no pessimism. People think Neymar's exit weakens the team. It's the opposite. We have to take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen the team."
On Messi
"Contract is agreed and signed. There are three contracts. One with the Messi Foundation, which is signed with the president of the Foundations and the player's brother. There's an image rights contract with Messi, which is father has signed, who is the administrator of his company, and the employment contract, with his father has signed, who has the power to do so."
"Only thing lacking is that Leo arrives and we have the official photograph and the protocol of the signature. The contract's signed, it's valid from the month of June, from June 30, the same day that he got married, curiously. It's been audited because it goes into the accounts for last season. The renewal is included in the accounts for the closing of this season. There are no problems. It's just the protocol of the signature. We're relaxed."
if hes still here next summer that remaining transfer budget will mysteriously vanish
