Bartomeu: Barcelona Preparing For Life Post-Messi

By Nigel Philips

Barcelona are keen on maintaining their current level of excellence after the era of talisman Lionel Messi by investing in young players, says club president, Josep Maria.

The Catalans currently boast of an array of young players with examples in the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Arthur Melo, Frenkie de Jong and Marc-Andre ter Stegen. 

Messi, who has been Barcelona's biggest weapon over the past decade, has hit the twilight of his career but Bartomeu insists the club desires to extend the player's contract as he has shown no signs of slowing down.

While they do that, Barcelona, according to Bartomeu, are not losing sight of the fact that Messi will not remain at the club forever and so are preparing for life after the Argentine football living legend.

“So we are preparing our club for the future, for the time post-Leo. Because we would like to still be the top club at that time. So, it’s a way of working, of investing, also of taking risks.

“We invest in young players, on home grown players from La Masia, but also on bringing players from other clubs, just to keep this level of excellence.

”Sometimes, I explain to members of the club and the board, what we are doing is bringing right now very young players to the club.

"Young players that we think are very talented: [Clement] Lenglet, Ousmane Dembele, Arthur Melo, Frenkie de Jong, Marc-Andre ter Stegen is still very young.

“There is a lot of players that will continue playing after the Messi era.”

Barcelona have been investing in youth in recent transfer windows and that trend looks to continue this summer with 19-year-old Matthijs de Ligt and 21-year-old Luka Jovic reported to be the club’s top targets.

Messi’s current deal runs until 2021 when he will be 34, and Bartomeu also says the club is already planning for life after the player widely regarded as the greatest of all times.