Barcelona Sporting Director is considering leaving the club when his contract expires in September of this year.
The Dutch-Catalan has been in charge since the summer of 2021, working alongside manager Xavi Hernandez and Director of Football Mateu Alemany. He has been part of a successful rebuild which brought home the La Liga title this season, but it does appear the power dynamics are shifting at Camp Nou.
Alemany is on his way out this summer, amid rumours that Deco will joining the recruitment staff this summer. As per Sport, Cruyff is also considering leaving the club as a result of those changes, seemingly being left out of meetings between Laporta and Deco, as well as Xavi and Deco. He has asked for time off in order to work out his future, and will decide at the end of the month.
Cruyff has worked closely with Xavi and the pair have a good relationship, often aligned in their judgement. However Joan Fontes claims that one of the key points of departure is former La Masia talent and current PSV Eindhoven star Xavi Simons. Cruyff would have Simons back, but Xavi is less keen on the Dutch international.
Por otro lado: El "asunto Xavi Simons" puede marcar un antes y un después en la relación entre Xavi Hernández y Jordi Cruyff. El holandés lo recomienda a toda costa y Xavi no acaba de verlo claro. Seguiremos la pista a un asunto más determinante de lo que parece en este momento. pic.twitter.com/bbvThRSwk5
— Dongcast (@JoanFontes) April 9, 2023
If Cruyff does decide to leave, it will mark the end of the two largest contributors to what Laporta will maintain is a successful strategy and recruitment effort over the last two years. As Barcelona face another tricky transfer window juggling players and numbers, and likely several more down the line, it is far from ideal preparation.
