The document will be signed on Wednesday at around 19.00. There will then be a photograph session open to the media by the doors to the FC Barcelona offices.

“The news we were all hoping for”

Sports director Andoni Zubizarreta spoke about Alves’ new deal thus: “This is the news we were all hoping for, both the club and player. The negotiations were long but never tense and his performances on the pitch have been as good as ever. We have taken our time and we can finally announce that we have achieved the objective we set out to achieve”.

Zubi explained that “the contract will be until June 2015. We are convinced that Dani is able to stay on and that he is fit enough. We are all happy with him. We have found the balancing point between the years and the figures and so we were able to close the renewal deal to all of our satisfactions”.

Unique full back

“We always say that Barça has a very defined style and way of playing. Our philosophy has always been to go first for local talent, and also that any players that come from outside have to be able to make us ever better. Dani is a clear example of that.” The Basque had no end of praise for the Brazilian: “Alves is a different kind of player, he brings us a special dynamic, physique, ability to move up, developed skills … but most of all it’s the way he can change a game. He plays with an intensity that has nothing to do with tactics but is more about spirit. Alves had everything. We have looked at the market and there is nobody like him, he’s unique in his position”.

Now on to Pinto and Abidal

To end, Zubizarreta said that “one of our aims was to close this deal before the end of the season … Now we need to to settle terms with Pinto, but most of all, getting Abidal back for the final would be the best spring signing we could make. We want to plan sporting issues as calmly as we possibly can”.