Joan Laporta: Arda Turan's signing is not incompatible with that of Paul Pogba

Joan Laporta has said, during a coversation on Tuesday morning with Mossen Ballarin, that the arrival or Arda Turan will not close the door on signing Paul Pogba. "[Turan's] signing is not incompatible with that of Pogba. If we win the elections, we will try to bring Pogba [to the club] this year," the pre-candidate declared. 

"The key to the signing of Pogba is his agent, Mino Raiola, and we have a good relationship with him. We are convinced that it would be good for Pogba to play at Barça," Laporta added. 

On the agreement with Atletico Madrid for Arda Turan, Laporta did not say too much. "If we win the elections, [Eric] Abidal will talk with Luis Enrique and then we will decide. What is clear is that [Turan] is a great player," he commented, without talking about Luis Enrique's request to sign the player. 

Laporta, though, would not reveal which member of the management board he spoke to in order to express his dissatisfaction at the signing of Arda during an election period. "I had an idea how they would act and that is what they are doing. Yes, I had a conversation with one of them, but that will remain private," he said in an enigmatic tone. 

When it came to talking about his project for the club, Laporta insisted that the objective "is to set the groundwork for the next 10 years of Barça. We did that in our [last era] with the best team in the world and one which could continue winning trebles," he pointed out. 

He also spoke about the criticism towards Lionel Messi following Argentina's Copa America defeat to Chile. "I feel bad that Messi is passing through a difficult moment, but he will lift himself like he has always done. When he returns here, his home, we will give him all the support and affection in the world," he said. 

STRONG CRITICISM OF ROSELL AND BARTOMEU 

Laporta was especially annoyed with the actions of "Rosell, Bartomeu and company" in relation to Barcelona's academy. "Their lack of interest in La Masia got to the point that, when FIFA warned them, they continued to do the same," he stated. 

And he remembered some advice from Rosell and Bartomeu when he was president. "They said to me: We have to sell Valdes, Puyol, Xavi and Gabri because they are not winners," he revealed, before insisting that, during his mandate, "the best thing I did was improve the academy."