FC Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta has insisted he is not looking to sign Angel Di Maria from Manchester United if he is elected in the upcoming elections, contrary to the rumors.
FC Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta is one of favourites to take the top job at the Spanish and European champions alongside Josep Maria Bartomeu in the next month’s election.
Laporta’s has been linked to possible signings, including Di Maria, should he become the president, but, he insists he will not look to lure the former Real Madrid man away from Manchester United.
“We could not think about signing Di Maria,” he told Catalunya Radio, before stating his confidence of winning the campaign. “We guarantee that we will win because we manage sporting success.”
Laporta was also full of praise for Lionel Messi, insisting the club must do what they can to keep him for the remainder of his career at FC Barcelona, before praising the manager Luis Enrique.
“Leo gives you everything and when you have Messi, you can always dream. We should always strive to get him to finish his career at the club.”
“Luis Enrique deserves to work in a team with great talent and achieve a successful outcome. That is a credit to him and his team. His philosophy is like Johan Cruyff’s, keep the ball, press hard, be strong.”
Laporta, who famously appointed Pep Guardiola as his manager in 2008, is one of the candidates alongside Josep Maria Bartomeu, Toni Freixa, Agust Benedito, Jordi MajA? and Jordi Farr .
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Bartomeu resigned as president recently to declare his candidacy in the election which was called a year earlier with fans voicing their concerns on the way the club was being run following the departure of sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta.
The former FC Barcelona and Spain goalkeeper paid the price for a FIFA ban on signings for two windows over a breach of rules on the transfer of foreign Under-18 players.
Bartomeu stepped up from vice-presidency to take over from Sandro Rosell who had stepped down following accusation of tax frauds over the Neymar deal.
Laporta had won 4 league titles and two Championa s League crown in his previous reign and is credited with kicking of the golden period in FC Barcelona history by bringing in Ronaldinho in 2004, first, and then appointing Pep Guardiola as the manager in 2008.