Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta has criticised former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Iván de la Peña, blaming him for the departure of young talent Dro Fernández.
The 18-year-old player joined Paris Saint-Germain for around €8.4 million during the winter transfer window and was represented by De la Peña.
Dro was brought up from the U19 team by coach Hansi Flick and began receiving minutes with the first team at the start of the season.
However, Barcelona failed to convince him to sign a new contract after he turned 18 at the beginning of the year, and coupled with a lack of minutes, he decided to move to PSG.
Speaking to "Jijantes" (according to "Sport"), Laporta blamed the agent for the situation.
"What happened with Dro was a betrayal. If it had happened with Jorge Mendes, it wouldn't have been like what happened with 'the bald one'. It was a shame and a stab in the back," he said.
Laporta added that Barcelona had achieved a good market relationship with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, saying the French club acted correctly in the negotiations.
He also expressed regret for Flick, as according to him the coach had given Dros a role in the first team at the expense of players who had invested more in Barcelona.
These comments are strong, considering that several current Barcelona players such as Gavi and Eric García are also represented by De la Peña.
Meanwhile, Laporta dismissed rumors of a transfer for Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović, saying there is nothing concrete, even though the club is always looking to strengthen the squad.
He was more enthusiastic about the possibility of João Cancelo returning, who is represented by Jorge Mendes.
"He's playing fantastically, he has a lot of class. He gave the pass for Olmo's penalty. That's what I like. We need to see a more relaxed Barcelona," he added.
Another recurring theme this season is the future of Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United. Laporta was positive about him.
"He has very good statistics with goals and assists and we are very satisfied. We could extend the loan; it all depends on what Deco wants. There are different options, including activating part of the buyout clause," Laporta said.
Barcelona reportedly have a €30m buyout option for Rashford. The player himself has publicly stated that he wants to stay at the club, but the decision could depend on Barcelona's salary cap situation this summer./Express newspaper/
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