On the afternoon of May 19, 2025, Joan Laporta sat down with TV3 and delivered a message that was as calm as it was calculated. The FC Barcelona president — emboldened by a domestic treble but humbled by years of financial struggle — painted the picture of a club entering a new phase: one that embraces realism, prioritizes stability, and rebuilds from within.
🔑 Key Takeaways
1. Securing the Core: De Jong, Raphinha, and Lamine Yamal
Laporta emphasized the urgency of contract renewals for key players. Frenkie de Jong, whose current deal runs until 2026, was singled out as a “fundamental” piece of Barcelona’s style of play. Laporta expressed optimism about reaching a renewal agreement with the Dutch midfielder.
Also on the priority list: Brazilian winger Raphinha and the prodigious Lamine Yamal. The message is clear — Barcelona is no longer just hunting stars, it’s protecting its own.
2. Transfers: Controlled Ambition Over Spectacle
When asked about the summer transfer window, Laporta set a tone of grounded pragmatism. The club is looking to strengthen “in all areas,” but he dismissed persistent rumors linking Barça to high-cost names like Erling Haaland and Nico Williams. These are not on the agenda — not for now.
This is a break from the past: no more speculative spending, no more media-driven pursuits of unattainable targets. Barcelona’s ambition is now calculated, not chaotic.
3. Financial Recovery and the 1:1 Rule
Laporta also touched on the club’s economic outlook. He reaffirmed that Barcelona is on track to meet LaLiga’s 1:1 rule — a requirement that every euro spent must be matched by one earned. According to him, next season’s budget will exceed €1 billion, allowing for some flexibility in squad planning.
This development is critical. After years of emergency loans, salary caps, and fire-sale transfers, Barcelona may finally be climbing out of its financial black hole.
4. Full Support for Hansi Flick
On the coaching front, Laporta voiced unwavering support for Hansi Flick, the German tactician who took over earlier this season. He revealed that he had consulted Ralf Rangnick before appointing Flick, confident in his leadership, style, and long-term fit with Barça’s identity.
The club’s bet on Flick is not just about tactics — it’s about institutional stability. And that matters just as much in Barcelona’s new chapter.
🧭 Analysis: A Club Learning from Its Wounds
Laporta’s interview can be read as a manifesto of sorts — not of revolution, but of evolution.
After the chaos of recent years — Lionel Messi’s departure, crushing debt, and managerial turnover — the Barça president is choosing the slow lane. He is doubling down on continuity, financial sobriety, and player development. In doing so, he’s building something far less exciting on the surface — but potentially far more sustainable.
There’s a quiet confidence in this approach. Laporta is no longer chasing the ghosts of Galáctico-style transfers. He’s securing the young core, trusting his coach, and letting the club breathe again.
This is not the Barcelona of Guardiola’s brilliance, nor the chaotic big-spending years of Bartomeu. This is Laporta’s second act — a Barça of sobriety, structure, and long-term thinking.
Final Thought
If Laporta manages to stick to this course — resisting populist temptations and trusting a methodical rebuild — FC Barcelona may not just return to the top. They might stay there, longer than before.
