The Blaugrana will elect their president for the next four years on Saturday - and each of the four nominees have made some interesting promises should they get in power
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Before Barcelona’s socios go to the polls to elect a new president, there are always plenty of issues that are considered - from economic policies to boardroom structure. However, the promise of a high-profile signing often sways the voter one way or another.
This year’s election was supposed to be different. The Blaugrana’s two-window transfer ban for signing foreign youngsters against Fifa rules should have resulted in the 2015 vote being more about the general direction of the club than new toys for coach Luis Enrique to play with.
However, Josep Maria Bartomeu’s signings of Aleix Vidal from Sevilla and Arda Turan from Atletico Madrid have already shown that deals can be done despite the inability to register new additions until January 2016.
There have been various promises from other candidates. While Bartomeu himself insists he has completed all the transfer movements he intends to pursue this summer, he has promised to spend at least €60 million on players each summer if his candidacy is successful.
Pogba | Bartomeu won't sign the Juventus star in 2015-16, but could next summer
His board has been pilloried by opponent Joan Laporta for their failed effort to lure Paul Pogba from Juventus, although he has not ruled out returning for another attempt in 12 months' time. The former president – who stood as club chief between 2003 and 2010 – has vowed to sign the French midfield star if he is brought back into power. Laporta has ridiculed current director of sporting institutional reforms Albert Soler for his part in the aborted talks.
“[Sporting director Ariedo] Braida's meeting with Juventus and Soler was a failure, it was ridiculous and made Barcelona look bad,” Laporta told Cadena Ser.
“Soler acts in ignorance of the world of football.”
The 53-year-old insists he has a number of other players in mind, with Eric Abidal set to be his sporting director.
Catalan businessman Agusti Benedito, who worked under Laporta for six years of his mandate, says Marco Verratti would be at the top of his transfer target list having come to a verbal agreement with the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder. Benedito also foresees a potential return for Denis Suarez from his loan spell at Sevilla, which is due to end in June 2016.
Laporta | The former president fancies his chances of completing a deal for Pogba
Benedito originally claimed he would look to sell Arda Turan back to Atletico, with an agreement in the original transfer allowing Barca to renege on the deal before July 20 at a loss of €3.4m on the initial €34m fee. However, these plans have now been scrapped and Benedito promises the Turkish star will remain.
Outsider Toni Freixa has not revealed too many transfer plans, although Verratti's agent, Donato Di Campli, claims he has held a conversation with the presidential candidate over the Italian midfielder. Barca club legend Jose Mari Bakero has been lined up to be Freixa’s sporting director.
This Saturday we will discover who Barcelona's president will be for the next four years - and there is no doubt that the promise of new signings will play a huge role in the outcome. And all in a summer when we expected Barcelona not to make a single purchase.
Source: Goal. Com
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