Victor Font has outlined his plans if he was to become Barcelona president, claiming he would look to bring back a host of legends like Pep Guardiola who could build a very 'competitive project' to convince Lionel Messi to stay.
Catalan businessman Font is the favourite to take over from the much-maligned Josep Bartomeu, who announced his resignation from the position two days ago.
Bartomeu, who also dropped the bombshell that he gave Barcelona's approval to be part of a new European Super League before resigning, came under intense scrutiny after years of turbulence - culminating in a bitter row with Messi that nearly led to his departure in the summer transfer window.
And since, Font has spoken of his desire to reunite Guardiola - who has yet to commit his future to Manchester City with his deal running out in June - with Messi at the Nou Camp, while he hopes the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol would return.
Font told Sky Sports: 'We are lucky at Barca that we inherited a style of play that Johann Cruyff instilled in the organisation, not just in the first team but throughout the academy and therefore most of the best professionals that know about this style are Barcelona fans.
'People like Pep Guardiola, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol, all these people do not work for Barca today. It does not make sense. We need to bring them back and give them the right responsibilities because not everyone is able to play any role outside of the pitch.
'By doing that we are sure we will have a very competitive project, which is the only thing Messi needs. He needs to be in a competitive project that aspires to win the next Champions League. That should be the objective of any Barca board, right?
'We have an advantage with these sort of legends. All of them love the club. It's not like Manchester United wanting to go after this type of talent.
'They could because they are one of the greatest clubs in the history of the club but they lack one thing that we have and that is that all these legends love Barca.'
Font was officially the first name to confirm he would run as Barcelona president and has Xavi lined up as manager with Puyol a possible director of football.
However, he is expected to face competition from Joan Laporta, who oversaw the club's greatest period under Guardiola and has an excellent relationship with Messi.
Messi was on the brink of leaving Barcelona this summer after becoming embroiled in a bitter row with the board.
He nearly quit the club for Manchester City where he would have been reunited with his former manager Guardiola.
He launched a scathing attack on the board after confirming he would eventually stay, saying: 'The the truth is that there has been no clear project here for a long time, they juggle and plug holes with no real plan.'
During the summer, he confirmed he would stay at the Nou Camp because the club had blocked his transfer to City by insisting on demanding his astronomical release clause of £625million was met.
Messi enjoyed exceptional success with Guardiola at Barcelona during the latter's time at the club.
Guardiola, who played 378 times for Barcelona between 1990 and 2001 after rising through the ranks, won three La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues, two FIFA Club World Cups and two Copa del Rey's during his four years as manager there.
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