Barcelona President Josep Bartomeu insists Lionel Messi will lead the Catalan giants’ attempts to reinvent themselves.
In what has already been a summer of change at Camp Nou, Luis Enrique has been appointed as Coach, while players Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Ivan Rakitic are new signings.
More are expected to follow, including Liverpool’s Luis Suarez, but the Blaugrana chief is in no doubt that it is the Argentine will remain at the centre of the club’s ambitions.
“Messi will lead the renovation that we are going to carry out on the team, and he doesn’t want to leave, I wish him luck at the World Cup,” Bartomeu said at a Press conference today.
The President also answered questions on Barca’s summer transfer plans and the recent departure of midfielder Cesc Fabregas.
“We have the names, we have the players. When the World Cup ends we will return to our targets. I am not directly involved in the negotiations but the sporting team are working.
“We have our targets but I can’t reveal the names.
“Since 2010 he [Fabregas] constantly went back to London. We think we have done well by Fabregas. As a person he was formed here and he is loved in London but his decision is good for him and I hope it is good for the club too.”
