Barcelona’s Josep Maria Bartomeu has confirmed that the club would rather Victor Valdes runs down his contract to June 2014, than leave this summer.
Valdes has told the club that he intends to not sign a renewal to his current deal, leaving the club with the prospect of having to sell him this summer, or let him leave on a Bosman a year later.
For the club’s Vice-President, the latter is the preferred option and that it would mean any rumoured move for Vicente Guaita or any other proposed replacement won’t come until next year.
“[President Sandro] Rosell has had contact with Valdes to make it clear that we have to leave the doors open [on him changing his mind],” Bartomeu told Catalunya Radio today.
“As we prioritise sporting aspects, we prefer to run out the contract until June 2014 rather than sell him this summer.
“We have no deadline in Valdes’ case, one option is to run to the end of his contract and in that case we will not sign a goalkeeper [this summer].”
Speculation also surrounds Eric Abidal’s future. In some quarters, the fit-again Frenchman has been thought set to be offered an ambassadorial role with the club, rather than a playing one.
“We consider Abidal only as a player and if we offer something then it will be to renew his current deal, we are not thinking of any institutional position.
“He has a contract that, if he plays a specific percentage of games, will automatically be renewed at the season’s end.”
