
barcelona announced on Tuesday that director of football Matteo Alemani would leave the club at the end of the season to start a new professional project.
Alemany ready to join Unai Emery, sources tell ESPN Premier League Side Aston Villa,
Barca said they would “announce changes to the football executive structure”, with sources adding that the long-term future of sporting director Jordi Cruyff is also uncertain.
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Jesus Angoy and Antonio Corden are among those being considered as possible replacements, but nothing has been decided at this stage.
Barca confirmed the news after one 1-0 win more than 10 man osasunaThat moved them within two points of the title with five games to go, with Real Madrid losing to Real Sociedad later in the day.
Alemani, 60, joined the club in 2021 when Joan Laporta was elected president and oversaw a frantic transfer window last summer when Barca sold the club’s assets to Gaynor. Robert Lewandowski, Rafinha And Jules Condeamong others.
Working alongside Cruyff, the transfer guru has been praised for putting together a squad that has Barca on the brink of pre-emption. Laliga Title from 2019.
Barça stated that he would leave the club on 30 June, clarifying that it was his decision.
However, as his contract with Barca was to run until 2024, Blaugrana The Alemany remains committed to meeting the upcoming transfer window if necessary.
“Alemani will end his time at the club on 30 June and begin a new professional project,” Barca said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Despite having a contract until 2024, Alemani has informed Laporta of his intention to take a new path in his career, but has assured that he will complete the summer transfer market with the club.
“Therefore, despite formally leaving the club on 1 July, thanks to an informal agreement, Alemany has committed himself to completing first-team transfer business this summer, even if it is at the last minute of the transfer window.” be in.”
Alemani studied law before turning to football while working for his local LaLiga side MallorcaFirst as CEO and later as President of the club.
then he left Valenciawhere he was director of football between 2017 and 2019, helping put together the squad that beat Barca to win the Copa del Rey in 2019.
After two years out of the game, he joined Barca in 2021 as part of Laporta’s backroom team, after the latter was elected as the club’s president for a second time, a role he held between 2003 and 2010. After performing
He faced various financial constraints while at Camp Nou, while he also had to deal with departures Lionel MessiBut has found ways to strengthen the team while working within LaLiga’s strict financial fair play rules.
In Tuesday’s win over Osasuna – which saw Barca inch closer to securing La Liga – the substitute Jordi Alba Scored the only goal of the match in the 85th minute.
“It is an important step towards the title,” Xavi said at a press conference. “It’s almost done. It was important to get six points against these games real betis And Osasuna and we have done that.
“We suffered a little too much tonight, mind. We missed too many clear chances. Osasuna defended well but, in the end, we got the goal through Jordi. Sometimes it’s better to win like this.”