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According to the Spanish newspaper "Sport", Barcelona is not willing to limit itself to just one summer purchase - it is reported that defender Lilian Thuram is on the blaugrana's radar. Meanwhile, according to "El Mundo Deportivo", the Catalan club should also sell its broadcasting rights for a huge sum of money.
Immediately after signing a four-year contract with Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, Barcelona's sports director Txiki Begiristain stated that the team is complete, but the club will remain an active observer in the player market.
On Friday, "Sport" announced that the Spanish and European champions are seriously considering the acquisition of the 34-year-old French national team and Juventus defender L. Thuram. It is said that Barcelona has already started negotiations with the player, although talks about the transfer were planned to start only at the beginning of July.
Then the official verdict should be announced to the Turin Juventus team. It should be noted that "La Vecchia Signora" is embroiled in a scandal due to allegedly illegal appointment of referees.
It is noted that if Juventus is relegated to a lower league, L. Thuram would automatically become a free agent and Barcelona would not have to pay a transfer fee.
L. Thuram has a valid contract with Juventus until 2008 and is currently participating in the World Cup in Germany with his national team.
Meanwhile, as reported by "El Mundo Deportivo", Barcelona strengthening with new players will help with a new contract for broadcasting rights - unbelievably, according to which the club should earn a billion over seven years. It is announced that Barcelona is concluding negotiations with "Media Pro", which wants to acquire the rights to broadcast the team's matches.
For the first 2006/2007 season, the club will be paid 125-135 million euros. In the 2007/2008 season and for the next five seasons, the amount will increase from 150 to 170 million euros per year. Even larger sums would flow into Barcelona's coffers if titles were won. Interestingly, "Media Pro" will show broadcasts not only in English, Spanish, and other popular languages, but also in Catalan.
The club's president Joan Laporta and marketing vice president Marc Ingla announced today that the club's revenues will at least double.
Last season, Barcelona earned 75 million euros - paid by TV3 and "Sogecable" that bought TV broadcast rights. Contracts with these broadcasters expire only in 2008, but Barcelona's lawyers left a clause in the contract a few years ago - the contract can be terminated if someone offers a higher sum for broadcasting rights.
Laporta, pleased with the new contract, which according to the president "will stabilize the club's finances for the near future", also stated that the club will not violate its hundred-year tradition and there will be no advertising on the blaugrana shirts. However, non-commercial messages promoting international humanitarian projects actively pursued by both the club and individual club players may be added - for example, UNESCO programs to fight illiteracy, hunger, child labor in third world countries, and the UN anti-racism campaign.
By signing the agreement, Barcelona will become the club earning the most from football broadcasts in the world. Until now, the largest sums from TV companies were received by the Juventus and Milan clubs, who could supplement their coffers to up to 120 million euros during a successful season.
