Former Barcelona head coach and current Dutch owner Ronald Koeman appeared at the opening ceremony of the golf tournament 'Ronald Koeman Cup', during which he spoke about Barcelona, their transfer policy and several other topics.
Koeman was bitter about how club president Joan Laporta treated him during his time as head coach and spoke about the matter again, saying:
'I know that when things don't go well, there are risks as a coach, coaches can be sacked, I have no problem, it's not the first time it has happened to me, but how to treat a person, someone who is important to the club, he is not very honest and that's why I have my own thoughts and my own things.
On whether he was willing to rebuild his relationship with Laporta, Coman said: "I don't know, things have to happen, but the way I'm treated is not the way they show. ”
Koeman had predicted that Leo Messi would not return to Barcelona this summer, and this is what happened when the Argentine signed for Inter Miami, where Sergio Busquets joined Internación and could also be reunited with Jordi Alba.
"The situation is completely different from Messi two years ago. It was a big mistake to let him go. I always wanted him to spend the rest of his life at Barca and it was a big mistake to let him go. Koeman said.
Barcelona signed two players this summer, bringing in Ilkai Gundogan and Iñago Martinez, both 32. Koeman criticised the policy of signing older players rather than investing in the future, saying:
"There's no need to talk about signing like Gundogan, he's a great player, a great professional, like Lewandowski, but it's only for a short time because they have a certain age."
"You can't sign two or three players of this type every season, you have to work hard for the future. Signing a 22-year-old is better for the future than signing a 33 or 34-year-old.
"I like Gundogan because he's a great player, but I think it's a moment for a club that has to look to the future, with young people, and the club has to be structured for years to come. For Lewandowski, you can argue with other players, but that's only two or three years," he added.
While at the club, Koeman made his debut for several youngsters such as Pedri, Gavi, Alejandro Balde and Nico Gonzalez, three of whom went on to be key parts of the team. Speaking of this, the Dutch said:
"When I was coaching, there was no money and no possibility of signing. Then I saw players like Pedri, Gavi, Nico and some very good talent. In the Netherlands, we are used to giving young players chances. I don't care if he's 20 or 32. Any club has to work for a better future. ”
On Nico, who was loaned to Valencia last season and could be sent away again this summer, the Netherlands boss said:
"These are decisions that the coach and the club have to make. Nico went to Valencia and they are young players who can complement the position Barca need. We should first look at the role of the players we have. ”
Instead, Barcelona are aiming for Oriol Romeu to strengthen the pivot position this summer, and Xavi is looking for an experienced person to fill the role, not someone like Nico. Coman commented on the possible signing of Romeu, saying:
"I have no doubt that Oriol is a player of this level and he proved it with a great season in Girona. He can occupy that position very well, but he's a new player who is already very old. I'm in favor of looking for young players in certain positions who have a future of more than two or three years. ”
On the question that Barcelona missed the signing of Alda Guiller for Real Madrid, the Barça legend said:
"The player has to choose where he wants to go. At Barca, a lot of things are covered by the media and you have to work hard to find the best players for the club. He's a young player and has to burst out, but he has quality. ”
The good news is that Koeman claims that Frenkie de Jong is very happy at Barcelona and would not consider leaving the club even though many clubs would like to have a player like him.
"A lot of clubs want to sign players like Frenkie de Jong, but what I learned from him is that he is very happy here and has not thought about leaving," he said.
The manager also clarified that Barcelona did not owe him any money due, saying: "The club does not owe me any money. ”