Barcelona has come out to refute recent reports circulating in the Spanish media suggesting that sporting director Deco is contemplating leaving the club following a challenging summer transfer window. The Catalan club signed Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor during the transfer window but faced difficulties in securing a left winger, holding midfielder, and a defender due to financial constraints.
Deco, who assumed the position of sporting director just last year, has found his work hampered by Barcelona’s financial struggles. The former Portugal international made the transition from being an agent to taking on the role of sporting director, working alongside Mateu Alemany initially before continuing on his own after Alemany’s departure in September last year.
Barcelona, like all clubs in Spain, are subject to an annual spending cap that is determined by factors such as revenue, non-sporting expenses, and debt repayments. Despite exceeding their spending limit, Barcelona still managed to secure the signing of Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig for €55 million. However, financial restrictions delayed Olmo’s registration, causing him to miss the first two games of the season.
The club faced further setbacks in their pursuit of other transfer targets such as Federico Chiesa and João Cancelo. They also missed out on signing Liverpool’s Stefan Bajcetic due to a late bid. Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta, is expected to address the club’s transfer activities in an upcoming news conference.
Deco’s Commitment
Despite the challenges faced during the transfer window, Barcelona has expressed full confidence in Deco’s abilities as sporting director. The club issued a statement emphasizing their satisfaction with the work being done by Deco and dismissing the reports of his potential departure.
Barcelona’s response to the reports of Deco considering leaving the club sheds light on the challenges faced by the Catalan giants during the recent transfer window. Despite financial limitations impacting their ability to secure certain targets, the club remains supportive of Deco as their sporting director. The upcoming news conference with President Joan Laporta will provide further insight into Barcelona’s strategy moving forward.