Talks held: Barcelona chief confirms club legend could return, role yet to be specified

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Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has revealed that the club is in talks with legend Carles Puyol over a return to the Nou Camp.

While it isn’t yet made clear what specific role is being lined up for the former defensive ace, few will know the inner workings and culture at Barca quite like their ex captain and influential leader on the pitch.

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It’s a strategy that many top clubs around Europe have adopted over the years in terms of bringing back former players to be part of the hierarchy and sporting structure, and Bartomeu evidently sounds as though he believes Puyol could bring a lot to the table should an agreement be reached.

“We are talking, it is no secret, hopefully we will reach a good agreement for him and Barça,” he is quoted as saying by Sport. “He has a lot to contribute to Barça. The concept of football is very clear. He was with us for a while, he has been out working, preparing more.

“I hope we reach an agreement, there is no hurry. Just as Victor Valdés or Patrick Kluivert, or players who have left, are always welcome when there is a place. Carles Puyol is an important figure, the great captain. It is not an emergency, but it is necessary that the sports area is covered in the coming months.”

The 41-year-old made 593 appearances for the senior Barcelona side after initially coming through the youth ranks, as he eventually spent almost 20 years in total with the Catalan giants in a glittering career.

In that time, he won a whole host of major honours including six La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies, and so not only will he be fully aware of what’s needed to succeed at Barcelona from a young age but he’ll have a clear understanding of what has made the club successful in the past.

That experience and knowledge could prove to be fundamental depending on where he is deployed in the hierarchy with no set position mentioned in the report above, but it seems like a sensible move from Barcelona to help them continue their pursuit of success.

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