Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu addresses Neymar, Griezmann and De Ligt transfer latest

Josep Maria Bartomeu's latest Barcelona press conference was dominated by transfer talk
AFP/Getty Images
Ben Hayward5 July 2019

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu gave his thoughts on the possible transfers of Neymar, Antoine Griezmann and Matthijs de Ligt ahead of the presentation of Frenkie de Jong on Friday.

Bartomeu called a press conference ahead of De Jong’s unveiling in order to discuss the resignation of vice-president Jordi Mestre and changes at boardroom level, but his media appearance was predictably dominated by transfer talk.

Mestre, one of Neymar’s most vocal critics, resigned earlier this week, but Bartomeu said his departure was not linked to the Brazilian forward’s possible return to the Catalan club.

“His exit has nothing to do with Neymar, nor the 200% (Mestre had said in 2017 that Neymar was ‘200% not leaving’ Barca). There were discrepancies in the sporting area and that, along with other reasons, led him to leave.”

The president, who said he will assume Mestre’s responsibilities at Barca, was then asked if Neymar would be signed this summer and said: “We know Neymar wants to leave PSG, but we also know that PSG don’t want him to leave.”

And he added: “We don’t like talking about players from other clubs, just as we don’t like other clubs talking about our players. There’s no Neymar case.”

Bartomeu was then asked if Ousmane Dembele, signed as a replacement for Neymar but now linked with a departure in order to fund a move for the PSG forward, was better than the Brazilian.

“For me, yes,” he said. “Dembele is a different player and we want him to continue playing here.”

One player who looks certain to arrive at Barca this summer is Antoine Griezmann.

“I will reveal a secret,” Bartomeu said when asked about the French forward. “Yesterday there was a meeting in Madrid between (Barca director) Oscar Grau and Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin to start talking about that matter.”

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Barca captain Lionel Messi refused to discuss Griezmann in his press appearance ahead of the Copa del Rey final in May, while it is known that the Argentina attacker wants Neymar to return.

But Bartomeu insisted that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner does not decide.

“Let’s end this myth,” he said. “Messi doesn’t ask for certain signings. He wants a competitive team.”

And asked about the possibility of Ajax defender De Ligt joining De Jong at Barca, the club chief gave a cryptic response.

“I said a while ago that I knew where he would be playing next season,” Bartomeu replied. “I still know, but I can’t say anything else. He still belongs to Ajax.”

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