"Barcelona" extended contract with sports director A. Zubizarreta © EuroFootball.com

The Spanish champion "Barcelona" officially announced the successful completion of negotiations on extending the contract with the current club's sports director Andoni Zubizarreta.

It is planned to extend the powers of one of the leaders of the Catalan club for an additional two years.

This means that the 52-year-old Basque will remain in his position until at least the summer of 2016. The previous contract, which A. Zubizaretta signed four years ago, would have expired in the summer of 2014.

The signature on the new contract by the sports director will be put in the coming days, Barcelona's official website announced on Thursday.

In the Barcelona club, A. Zubizarreta is one of the most influential figures. The experienced manager is responsible for assembling the main Catalonia club's football team and usually coordinates negotiations with potential candidates to strengthen "Barça".

A. Zubizarreta ended his professional football career in 1998. He defended the goal of the Valencia team for the last four seasons then.

From 1986 to 1994, the Basque was the main goalkeeper of "Barcelona" and together with the Catalan club won the Spanish championship four times, triumphed in the King's Cup and Spanish Super Cup twice each, won the Champions League and the European Super Cup in 1992, as well as celebrated victory in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup once.

In 2001, A. Zubizarreta returned to his hometown team, Bilbao Athletic, and worked as its sports director for three years.

The Basque joined the Catalan club in July 2010 when he replaced his compatriot Txiki Begiristain in the role of sports director.

In the composition of the Spanish national team, A. Zubizarreta has played a total of 126 matches, making him the third in the entire history of "Furia Roja" based on this achievement.