Barcelona president talks Dembele renewal, Xavi and Messi

Joan Laporta has been as busy as a bee since his re-election as Barcelona president. From solving a host of financial problems to trying to restore the club to its greatest heights, there has been a lot of work to do.

With plenty of transfers completed and potentially many more on the way, Laporta spoke to RTVE to discuss what activities he is currently engaged in and what other dealings everyone can look forward to.

Ousmane Dembele’s renewal was an important topic of discussion during the interview. On which, Laporta said: “The contract ends in the summer and we have to sit down and talk. I know he is comfortable at Barcelona. We’ll see what happens.”

About the possible incorporation of Erling Haaland and the return of Lionel Messi, he said: “Haaland? We are not going to incorporate any player who alters the salary system. As for Messi, the doors are always open at Barcelona.”

On Xavi, whose leadership has led to a spectacular resurgence for the team, he said: “Hiring Xavi is one of the best decisions I’ve made during this mandate.”

Laporta also glosses over some other bits of business, including the agreement with CVC, which still remains a possibility. However, he states that he wants to ensure the deal is actually viable and will not create any debt in the future.

He highlights that if not for the CVC deal, he has two other alternatives to increase income for the club.

The Barcelona president was also asked about the team’s chances for the La Liga title this season, to which he said: “Winning La Liga is always possible. We found the identity of our game with Xavi, the challenge is possible but we must first beat Sevilla on Sunday.”