Laporta talks Deco, Lamine, Ferran, Lewandowski, Eric, summer transfer plans – ‘The sky’s the limit’ | OneFootball

In ten days, the voting to elect the new president of FC Barcelona will take place, with Joan Laporta and Victor Font emerging as the only two final candidates.

Laporta, who stepped down as president last month to recontest in the elections, has the overwhelming support of the locker room, manager Hansi Flick, and sporting director Deco.

Ahead of the upcoming elections, the 63-year-old sat down for an exclusive interview with Mundo Deportivo, during which he not only criticised his opponent, Victor Font, but also gave an insight into the squad planning for the future.

On the summer transfer plans

One of the main objectives for Barcelona heading into the summer window is understood to be the signing of a new centre-forward.

After all, Robert Lewandowski’s contract expires at the end of the season, and Ferran Torres’ form has taken a hit in 2026.

However, Laporta, while admitting that Barça have the capacity to sign any player they want to, stated they have complete faith in Ferran and Lewandowski.

“First, obviously, Barça can sign players, and we have two great centre-forwards, Ferran and Lewandowski, and I’m delighted with both of them,” he said.

The ex-president then elaborated how the squad has other players like Dani Olmo and Marcus Rashford who can play as a No. 9, saying:

“Then there are other players who can also play in that position: Olmo, Rashford, Lamine Yamal as well, since he sometimes becomes versatile in the forward positions.”

On the financial side of things, he added: “Regarding finances, when it comes to making an adjustment in any position that represents an investment in a player, whether it’s a centre-forward, midfielder, defender, or goalkeeper, Barça has the capacity to do it.” 

“Whether it has to be done is another matter. Nobody forces us; signing players isn’t an obligation. Obviously, if we see an opportunity in the market that Deco thinks could be interesting and would improve the squad, Deco will propose it to us, and we’ll decide.”

On Deco

Laporta then went on to praise the work done by Deco since taking over as sporting director in 2023, in particular highlighting his efforts to secure strategic renewals of almost the full core of the squad.

Laporta has praised Deco’s work. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

“We’re very satisfied with the work Deco has done. He’s built an extraordinary squad. He’s managed to renew the contracts of each and every one of our young players. That was a monumental task,” he said.

“I’m incredibly grateful, because we have all these players renewed until at least 2030. Cubarsi, Bernal, Pedri, Lamine, Fermin, Olmo, Casado, Balde, Araujo, Gerard Martin, Kounde, Eric Garcia, who we’ll soon have available and who is important with the two slots we have at full-back, given his versatility….”

“In short, Deco has built a squad and renewed their contracts. This squad has both a present and a future. Financially, in these three years that Deco has been performing the duties of sporting director so excellently, the results have been positive,” he added.

On Lamine Yamal

Laporta also went on to wax lyrical over Lamine Yamal when it was pointed out to him how he had made Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi the team’s No. 10s in his first two presidential tenures, before taking the same route with the teenage sensation in his third run.

“The sky. ‘The sky is the limit’, they say, right? Every day it surprises us with something new,” said Laporta.

Continuing, he added: “The other day, on the opposite side from where he normally plays, when he took the corner and made that play, which gave us the first goal against Atletico, which is the one I remember most recently, it was spectacular.

“The goal he scored against Villarreal was beautiful, fantastic….”

On being reminded of Lamine’s goal against Espanyol last season, which sealed the La Liga title for Barça, Laporta once again showered the 18-year-old with praise, saying:

“That also gave us the league title mathematically, didn’t it? Look, he’s a great player and we have him at Barça. He’s a player who has been trained, who has been looked after, who has been brought up at La Masia.

“What’s more, he’s a committed player with a maturity beyond his years. We’re delighted with Lamine Yamal and everyone around him, and the truth is that the team is a group of people who are a real treasure.”