New Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu pledges to defend club over Neymar-transfer controversy

Barcelona’s new president Josep Maria Bartomeu leaves after a press conference in Barcelona on January 24, 2014.

Barcelona have a new president in Josep Maria Bartomeu now as he took over the helm of the club on January 23 following club president Sandro Rosell’s resignation amid a legal wrangle over the signing of Brazilian star Neymar.

Rosell’s resignation was confirmed at a press conference on Thursday, with former vice president Bartomeu confirmed as the new club chief until the end of the 2015-16 season.

“We are going to be very strict in the defense of our club against all the judicial and sporting authorities,” Bartomeu told reporters.

“I want to encourage the socios to continue supporting us in future. All of our challenges are as valid as ever. The future of the Camp Nou remains a priority – and we are playing for our future over the next few months.”

When asked about the club’s taking on Neymar’s transfer situation, Bartomeu said the club had been bound to silence by the contracts.

However, he revealed that Neymar’s father had contacted the club since Rosell’s resignation and has agreed to release the confidentiality clause from the agreement.

”Neymar’s father has authorized us to ignore the confidentiality clauses of the contracts because he considers what has happened as unfair,” said Bartomeu. ”We can’t be more transparent. We did this for the press, something that we have never done before, and now our rivals know how we do things.”

I’m proud to be the president of FC Barcelona and I put myself at the service of the whole Barça family.

— Josep Maria Bartomeu (@jmbartomeu) January 25, 2014