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Joan Laporta, Victor Font and Toni Freixa are the last three candidates left in the race to become the next president of Barcelona.
Former President Laporta, whose reign lasted from 2003 to 2010, received the most validated signatures of the three remaining candidates, according to a club statement.
Barcelona also said that another candidate, Emili Rousaud, withdrew his offer on Thursday during the validation process.
The outcome of the election, which is scheduled for January 24, will have huge implications for Lionel Messi’s future and whether he will remain with the club beyond the end of this season when his contract expires.
Messi has said that he does not endorse any of the candidates in this month’s election, as he tries to distance himself from the proceedings and insists he has not spoken to any of them.
The Argentine international submitted a transfer request at Barcelona at the end of last season, but the club’s former president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, would not let him leave the Camp Nou, despite claims from Messi’s field that there was a clause. in your contract that you would allow it. let it go free.
The future of Ronald Koeman and Lionel Messi could be decided in this month’s elections
Messi has had no qualms about pointing out that he feels the club is in bad shape and hopes that the next Barcelona president will have a clear plan to return the club to its former glory.
Messi 360: The view from … Barcelona
There’s not much that Barcelona’s interim board can do to help persuade Messi to stay and sign another contract before the election. That job will be in the hands of the new president.
So there are really only two favorites for the job; Joan Laporta, who has been president before, and Víctor Font, the telecommunications businessman.
While there is no indication Messi prefers either, and the player has stayed out of the way of the debate so far, Laporta has a good relationship with him as he oversaw the most successful period in club history with Guardiola as coach at chief.
And Laporta said recently that he would do “everything possible” to keep Messi if he returns for another stage at the helm.
Font, for his part, wants to rebuild Barça from the bottom up; producing his players from the La Masia academy, and has been working with one of his best products, Messi ex-teammate Xavi, to return as head coach.
Xavi is also expected to be among Laporta’s considerations but, about Messi, Font has said: “I am convinced that with a competitive, exciting project and, especially in the case of Messi, in the long term, one that could even go further beyond the day Messi retires, we will convince him to stay. “
The pioneers will begin to emerge this month, and they are expected to indicate who will occupy key positions in the hierarchy. These developments will have a mark on Messi’s thinking, but in reality only when elections are made and a firm plan is presented will they have a significant influence on Messi’s future.
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