Albert Soler: We want to renew Rakitic, Suárez and Messi contracts

FC Barcelona’s director of professional sports Albert Soler spoke to the media on Thursday about the club’s transfer activities.

Soler, as well as expressing his delight at how the summer transfer window went, spoke of the club’s desire to renew the current deals of three of its stars: Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suárez and Leo Messi.

Squad for the future

Soler highlighted the great work of the technical secretary of the first team who has created “an exciting squad for the future in order to continue winning titles."

Praise for the youth system

"The model works: we have nine players out of the 22 first team players who have come through La Masia, as well as Denis. The priority continues to be this.”

Signings

“We said that we would be act accordingly in the market if given the opportunity to sign a great player.

“With €120 million we have signed six players,” something which Soler is content with given the Premier League’s “very strong” prowess in the market.

Retaining existing stars

But as well as those that have come in, Soler concluded by stressing the importance of holding on to three pillars of the first team.

"We have closed 22 transactions, with three renewals of Mascherano, Busquets and Neymar Jr, which are very important.

"The duty we have now is to renew Rakitic, Suárez and then Messi. The Club does not stop."