Several top players offered to candidates

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that several players have in the past days and weeks been offered to Barcelona presidential candidates and to directors who are still part of the board, while candidates on the other hand are also sounding out players.

The players who are being linked with a possible move to Barcelona this summer are: Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Andrei Arshavin (Arsenal), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Alexandre Pato (AC Milan) and Sergio Agüero (Atlético Madrid).

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Torres not willing to negotiate with candidates
Candidates are trying to interfere in transfer talks
Rosell linked with Valencia winger Mata

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:
Cesc gives his ok to presidential candidates
The Rosell Project - Part 2: The Team
Benedito denies talks with Mascherano