Barcelona respond to Deco resignation speculation

Barcelona have denied reports suggesting their director of football Deco is thinking about resigning from his position.

Barca have started the season in fine form and wracked up their fourth La Liga win of the campaign on Saturday night as they obliterated Real Valladolid 7-0, with Raphinha scoring a hat-trick.

However, it was still a summer transfer window of great difficulty and upheaval in Catalonia, with Barca still plagued by economic issues brought about by financial mismanagement in previous years.

Deco took over as sporting director in August last year and managed to create enough wiggle room in the budget to sign Euro 2024 star Dani Olmo, though the club's very public pursuit of Nico Williams didn't come off as the Spain international remained Athletic Club.

The pressure that has arrived with the role has led Diario SPORT to claim the former Portugal and Chelsea midfielder is considering his future at Barca. Internal conflicts, clashes with agents and disagreements over the club's stance in the transfer market are said to have raised tensions between him and Barca.

However, the La Liga giants have moved to dispel the gossip, describing SPORT's report as an "attack".

A statement from the club reads: "FC Barcelona categorically denies the news that appeared this September 1 in the digital version of ‘Diario Sport’ putting in doubt the continuity of our director of football.

"In response to the piece titled 'Deco, disappointed, meditating his future', FC Barcelona states that it could not be happier with the job being done by Deco and refutes this attack by ‘Diario Sport’ on the director of football precisely at the end of the transfer window."

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