Bartomeu talks about transfers and does not rule out Neymar: "There will be exchanges"

Josep María Bartomeu, president of FC Barcelona, ​​gave interviews on Monday for the Catalan media Sport and Mundo Deportivo in which he not only talked about the drop in wages of athletes in the different sections, but also about future signings and sports planning in the face of the economic crisis.

The Barça club president assured that, although there is not so much money available, they will try to make exchanges of footballers. "No, Abidal and Planes are still working to prepare a team, although in this summer window exchange operations are predicted, there will not be so much money, so much cash, but there will be more exchanges," he explained.

 "We have ambition in the signings. You have to make a good team"
In addition, he recalled that Barça is the club that enters the world the most. "Barça is the largest club in the world. That income has been reduced, like everyone else, does not stop us from being the club that enters the world the most. When it comes to saying that Barça is fatal, I tell them that when June 30 ends we will continue to be the one who enters the most, but less because they all go down, "he assured.

In fact, they asked him about specific names such as Neymar and Lautaro Martínez. "I cannot speak of names. Barça will be in the market in a position to carry out the operations that it deems convenient. Of course we will have capacity. I say it again, we are the club that enters the world the most. I hear people say according to what and I think: But if we are the greatest, what do they say? "he commented, without ruling out the Brazilian or the Argentine.

It must be remembered that in Italy or France they are already testing possible exchanges of footballers. Inter Milan would be interested in players like Arthur Melo, Nélson Semedo, Arturo Vidal, Junior Firpo or Philippe Coutinho to close the 'Lautaro operation', while Paris Saint-Germain has set its sights on Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembélé or Ivan Rakitic.

Messi's renewal

Bartomeu was also asked about Messi's renewal. "Now we are very involved in this issue of the impact of the pandemic in the club and in what will happen in the Alert State. We have to do this, talk to the Leo people, but we will do it at the right time," he said, postponing negotiations to when the situation allows.

The Barça president denied being concerned about the continuity of the captain culé, but did not deny the intention to sit down and negotiate with him. "Messi has already said it many times. He wants to end his sports career at Barça, so we are not concerned. But he will have to sit down with him to reach an agreement," he said.