Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer has earlier today announced in an interview with Cataluna radio station Catalunya Ràdio that he will be a candidate in next year's elections for president of FC Barcelona: "Yes, I will run for president. I have the will and the desire to form a candidacy and to win the elections".Ferrer, who admitted that he was close to resigning when he found out he had been spied upon by the club earlier this year (read more here), said that he hadn't been able to find an agreement with Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall to present one unique board candidacy.
The 46-year old Catalan businessman, who is part of the board of directors since current Barcelona president Joan Laporta took office in 2003, confirmed that he has the support of five current board members: institutional vice-president Albert Perrín and directors Alfons Castro, Jacint Borràs, Josep Anton Colomer and Jordi Torrent.
After the radio interview, Ferrer confirmed to Spanish news agency EFE that his decision was final and that there was no way back. The news agency claims that Ferrer could launch his project as early as next Monday, which could lead to a new crisis in the board of directors and another reshuffle of powers by Barcelona president Joan Laporta.
The main reasons why Ferrer and Godall weren't able to find a deal would have been the fact that Ferrer didn't want Barcelona treasurer Xavier Sala i Martín and Barcelona chief executive Joan Oliver to continue at the club and that Godall didn't accept to include some of the board members loyal to Ferrer in his candidacy and to appoint Ferrer as first vice-president.
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo had claimed earlier this Wednesday that Ferrer had yesterday confirmed during a series of meetings with his closest collaborators that he would be a candidate and that he would soon make the news public.
Ferrer was said to already be preparing the official presentation of his candidacy in the first weeks of January. The vice-president reportedly wants to keep the same club model but introduce another style of governing, closer to the club members and avoiding that the club gets involved in controversies.
Read more:
Jaume Ferrer will run for president
Godall to announce candidacy in two weeks
Vice-president Perrin confirms candidacy Ferrer
