FC Barcelona Legend Koeman Slams Club Transfer Policy And President

Former FC Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman has blasted the Catalans’ transfer policy and once more laid into their president Joan Laporta.

Koeman is a bonafide Blaugrana legend for scoring the winning goal against Sampdoria in 1992 that granted them their first ever Champions League title at Wembley.

A pivotal part of iconic manager Johan Cruyff’s Dream Team, he fared less successfully in the dugout himself at the turn of the decade.

Koeman took over from Quique Setien in the summer of 2021 and was fired not much more than a year later following a 1-0 away loss to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.

Current manager Xavi Hernandez was swiftly brought in to replace him, and though Koeman has complimented his fellow ex-midfielder for steering Barca back to winning ways in La Liga, with a first title in four years this spring, the Dutchman evidently still has a thorn in his side about the way Laporta dismissed him and is running the club.

Speaking at Barcelona Golf Club to launch the Koeman Cup, Koeman was critical of what he perceives to be a short-sighted transfer policy that signs veterans without looking at the big picture.

“I think the club structure has to be [to make signings] for the next few years and not for two or three,” Koeman said.

“From the outside, I think the signings can be discussed. You can discuss about the age of the players or if it is [a signing for] the future. Neither economically nor sportively are they looking much at the future,” Koeman added.

That being said, Koeman praised Ilkay Gundogan, 32, who arrived from Manchester City on a free transfer recently, before making his point again.

“I like the arrival of Gundogan because he is a great player, but I think a club has to look to the future. I think the structure of the club has to be for the next few years.

“You can’t argue about Gundogan or Lewandowski, but I think it’s only for two or three years. You can’t sign players like these every season. I think it’s better to make signings of 22 years old, not 32 or 34,” Koeman reiterated.

Asked about his relationship with Laporta, Koeman said: “I know there is a risk that you can be fired as a coach when things are not going well, it is not the first time it has happened to me.

“But it’s the way to treat an important person for the club. For me it has not been a very honest treatment and I have my thoughts,” he explained, communicating that Laporta has still not reached out and offered an olive branch to Koeman.