5 former Barcelona players who could rejoin the club behind the scenes
Barcelona certainly seem to have enjoyed their month so far and are on a high at the moment. In addition to improvements on the pitch, the Catalan giants elected the popular Joan Laporta as their new president and will hope that his appointment marks the dawn of a new era for the club.
Barcelona have endured a spectacular fall over the past few years and have been ravaged by the incompetence of a series of poor administrators. The once-omnipotent Blaugrana's reputation as a flagbearer of empowerment has been dragged through the mud by the likes of Bartomeu and the new administration has a massive mountain to climb to restore Barcelona's former glory.
Joan Laporta has plenty of experience at Barcelona
Joan Laporta is Barcelona's answer to Real Madrid's Florentino Perez. The Catalan administrator has the guile, charisma, and experience to pull Barcelona out of the hole they find themselves in and will be intent on righting the wrongs of his predecessors.
Laporta was Barcelona's president from 2003 to 2010 and spearheaded the club's resurgence as a European superpower. The newly-appointed president shares excellent relationships with some of the best players in the club's history and may well be able to bring some big names back to Barcelona over the next few years.
#5 Victor Valdes
For well over a decade, Victor Valdes was one of the most passionate members of an exceptional Barcelona team. The Spanish shot-stopper rose through the ranks at La Masia and won an astonishing 11 trophies over the course of a glittering career with Barcelona.
Valdes was one of the best goalkeepers in the world with the ball at his feet and his in-depth knowledge of Barcelona's philosophy makes him an excellent asset to the club. Goalkeepers at the Catalan club need to acquire a predefined set of skills and Valdes may well be the perfect addition to Laporta's team.
The former Barcelona goalkeeper did serve as a youth coach under the previous administration but his tenure came to an acrimonious end after a rift with Patrick Kluivert. Joan Laporta is on excellent terms with Victor Valdes, however, and seems intent on bringing the shot-stopper back to his boyhood club.
#4 Jordi Cruyff
Jordi Cruyff might not have had an exceptional playing career at Barcelona but can certainly make a name for himself as an able administrator. The former midfielder has spent several years in directorial and managerial roles across the world and can potentially make his return to Barcelona under Joan Laporta.
Cruyff is reportedly yet to receive a formal offer from Barcelona but there have been indications from Laporta's entourage that the Shenzhen FC coach could be appointed in an administrative role at the club.
Barcelona consider the legendary Johan Cruyff as their sporting idol and appointing his son under the new administration could signal a return to the club's roots. Joan Laporta has placed emphasis on a return to the glory days and the appointment of Jordi Cruyff will likely go down well with the fanbase.
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