Barcelona president Joan Laporta has addressed several major topics surrounding the club, including ongoing transfer business, the future of star players, and the performance of the team’s representatives at the World Cup.
Laporta spoke with the media in Dallas, where he traveled to attend the semifinal match between Spain and France, to clarify the club’s current stance on key summer developments.
Laporta confirms Adeyemi signing
The president highlighted the imminent arrival of Karim Adeyemi, noting the club’s excitement regarding the deal.
“We are very excited about Adeyemi. We’ve liked him for a while. He’s dangerous and fast, and Deco handled the signing very well. The news came out when it was meant to,” Laporta said (h/t Mundo Deportivo).
Raphinha going nowhere
Laporta dismissed speculation regarding Raphinha, emphasizing that the Brazilian remains a fundamental part of the squad despite recent offensive acquisitions.
“Raphinha will stay. We have no interest in him leaving Barça. He’s a key player. With Gordon and Adeyemi, I see that we’re strengthening the attack, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to let Raphinha go, as he’s crucial for us,” he stated.
“It’s a shame that last season he couldn’t be at his best in the final stages of La Liga, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey. The results would have been different,” he added.
Laporta’s stance on Alvarez
Regarding the long-running pursuit of Julian Alvarez, Laporta reiterated that Barcelona will not rush the process, though he confirmed a firm offer remains active.
“Regarding the signing of Julian, obviously we’re not going to be dancing to anyone’s tune; we’ll set the pace. We’ve made an offer that isn’t unlimited, and we’ll announce when the time comes how long the offer remains valid,” he explained.
The president noted that he spoke with Atletico executive Miguel Angel Gil to resolve any misunderstanding.
“We spoke very clearly and amicably, and I understand we have a very good relationship with them. There was some initial confusion regarding the offer we made, which I clarified. I simply told them that once they have an alternative, this offer remains valid.”
Laporta declined to comment further on specific financial details. “I’m not going to talk about this issue anymore because I’ve already said everything I had to say.”
Praise for the Barça contingent
Laporta expressed pride in his players competing in the World Cup, specifically praising Lamine Yamal.
“I give my full support to all the Barça players who are playing in the World Cup. I know that their success is our success, and I think Lamine is having a great World Cup.
“He’s been chosen MVP in a couple of games. The others are all doing very well. Pedri, Olmo, Cubarsi… they’ve all been playing very well,” he said.
Addressing Pedri’s rotation with the national team, the president downplayed concerns about the midfielder’s playing time.
“For me, he’s a starter, and it always shows. The thing is, there are many great players in the national team who deserve to play. But Pedri’s talent is extraordinary,” he added.
Gordon, Messi and Alvarez’s brilliance
Laporta also praised incoming forward Anthony Gordon following his recent performances for England.
“I see him excelling. The other day against Norway he made the pass for one of Bellingham’s goals, but Gordon’s pass was very good,” he noted.
Reflecting on Lionel Messi’s performance for Argentina, the president was highly complimentary.
“Messi’s World Cup is extraordinary. Eight goals, some of them of great quality, and his talent always shines through. Argentina works for Messi and is a compact unit; they are lucky to have Leo who always puts them away.”
Finally, regarding Alvarez’s goal against Switzerland, Laporta acknowledged the high quality of the play. “It was a fantastic goal,” he said, before offering a brief response regarding a potential move. “We’ll see about that.”