Barcelona president Joan Laporta has a lot more than David Beckham to worry
about as he contemplates reviving the Catalan club's fortunes.
Barcelona, without a major trophy in four seasons, are between 100 million
and 200 million euros in debt, faced with the possibility of playing in the
lowly Intertoto Cup next season and threatened by a two-match ground ban.
The question of who will coach the side next season has still to be decided,
the squad is in urgent need of an overhaul and Patrick Kluivert, the club's one
remaining player of undisputed world class, could leave for almost nothing.
Laporta, at 40 the youngest president in the history of the club, sees in
Beckham a shortcut back to the top for Barcelona. But signing one player,
however distinguished, is unlikely to prove a magic formula to cure all the
club's ills.
"We're going to make a radical change," Laporta promised after winning 52.57
percent of the vote in Sunday's election. "We have been given a responsibility
to restore the club's economic stability."
Laporta is anxious to make progress with Beckham after securing a deal with
Manchester United to sign the England captain, subject to winning the election
and persuading the midfielder to come.
"A player with Beckham's profile would help Barcelona recover its natural
place in world football," Laporta said.
SIMILAR STATURE
If Laporta fails to convince Beckham to choose Barcelona over Real Madrid,
his other potential suitors, the president says he will bring in two players of
similar stature, in terms of ability if not media profile.
In all, Laporta has promised to bring in five players with a net investment
of 50 million euros ($59 million). To balance the financial equation, that will
mean getting rid of several members of the squad.
The first question for the new Barcelona regime will be what to do about
midfielder Philip Cocu and defender Frank de Boer, who are waiting to see if
they will be offered new deals.
The situation relating to striker Kluivert, another Dutch international, will
be more worrying.
Kluivert has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave for a little over
1.8 million euros unless the club agree to continue paying his annual salary of
six million euros.
Kluivert agreed to put off negotiations over his contract until a new
president was chosen.
There are also question marks over Argentine full-back Juan Pablo Sorin and
Spanish midfielder Gaizka Mendieta, both on loan at the Nou Camp, and Spanish
striker Alfonso and Brazilian midfielder Geovanni, who are due to return from
loan spells.
As for the coaching position, Radomir Antic signed an extension to his
contract shortly before elections were called but that deal is subject to
approval by Laporta.
Media reports say Guus Hiddink, the former Dutch national team coach who
coached PSV Eindhoven to the title last season, is the preferred Laporta option.
Laporta also has to decide whether to appeal against the two-match ground ban
imposed for crowd violence during this season's home match against Real Madrid
and whether to enter the club in the Intertoto Cup should they fail to finish in
the top six and miss out on direct qualification to the UEFA Cup.
