Rosell linked with Valencia winger Mata

Valencia regional newspaper Levante-EMV claims that Barcelona presidential candidate Sabndro Rosell has reached a personal deal with Valencia left winger Juan Mata (22).

If Rosell would be elected as president of FC Barcelona on 13 June, Mata would join Barcelona for a transfer fee of 20 million euros. The player would triple his year salary and get a little less than 2,5 million euros each season.

Speaking at a press conference today, Mata has denied the rumours: "I don't have signed a contract or a pre-agreement with anyone. At this time of the season, there are names of players and clubs popping up everywhere, but there's still a league game and a World Cup ahead.

I won't let myself be distracted by the stream of rumours. I have a contract with Valencia, I'm happy and have a lot of years left here. The most important thing for me is the sporting aspect and I cannot complain there since I have played a lot this season. The rest are only rumours."

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Transfer battle between board and Rosell

Catalan sports weekly paper Gol claims that there's a transfer battle going on between the Barcelona board and the candidacy of former Barcelona sports vice-president Sandro Rosell ahead of next year's presidential elections.

Rosell, who left the board in June of 2005 and will run for president, would already be holding for a while talks with players' agents in order to build a new football project that would continue the current successes.

The Catalan businessman would like to strengthen and renew the Barcelona squad by signing four players: Bayern Munich attacker Franck Ribéry (26), Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas (22), AC Milan forward Alexandre Pato (20) and Valencia left winger David Silva (23) or his team-mate Juan Mata (21).

Over the past months, the current board, inspired by election polls indicating a clear lead for Rosell (check the polls here), would nevertheless also have contacted several of those players trying to sign some of them before the elections to gain more votes.

Read more:
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The Rosell Project - Part 2: The Team
Benedito denies talks with Mascherano