Prep Week

As early as 8 am the next morning Alex together with all board members converged at the conference room of the club, to discuss on the prospect of agreeing to Nike's offer.

"Nike seems optimistic about this deal and I'm inclined to agree to the deal, as we're all going to gain in the deal, said Marotta. But the question that keeps hanging on my mind is what the details of the deal would entail, 1) Were in a gradual period of transition from bleak past to enlightened future but any decision we make now would decide how our future would be so there's the need for us to thread carefully. 2) Nikes offer would elevate the clubs status in the American market which would make the club dominate the market, more than other European clubs, but the Details of the deal has to be well crafted and made, because we shouldn't be signing a deal that'll enslave the future of the club and the board.

Alex nodded his head and asked Van der Saar his views on the proposed deal "what's your view of the deal Van? Said Alex, Van der Saar started by talking of the possibility of the club making the greatest decision of its entire history " I'm delighted and at the same time disturbed because, as Giuseppe said We ought to tread carefully, this companies do tend to convince clubs sign deals that only favors them not the club, so we have to ensure our interest are protected, he said while making eye contact with Susan the legal director who's going to lead the negotiations with Nike at the Nike headquarters, America in the following days when the club heads to America for the preseason games.

After long deliberations the club finally agreed to certain clauses in the deal:

1) Nike would give Barça first option when it comes to young prospects in the Nike youngsters academies around the globe, but mostly the academies in Europe and America.

2) The club would give Nike first privilege when it comes to getting prospects in Lamasia to sign sponsorship deals with Nike when they reach matured years. And the club would give Nike the opportunity to partner in the clubs academies around the globe.

3) Nike would have to help Barça in signing Nike sponsored players and help Barça make the players signing easier.

4) Nike is to make Barça jerseys top priority when it comes to printing and availability in Nike stores around the globe with the clubs Jersey not to ever reach rate of 30% out of market.

5)Nike is to ensure it keeps providing Barça with a €5m bonus for every champions league semi final the club reaches for the duration of this contract.

The board believes this terms are what it wants from Nike and of Nike agrees or renegotiates the terms, the future of the two institutions would be more aligned and be in joint cohesion for the prosperity of Borge the two institutions. Alex believes this terms aren't something Nike would reject and he is mandating Susan to fight for every term and if possible include more new terms as the need maybe, the board organized a signing and negotiations committee headed by Susan and With Van der Saar as the vice chair of the committee, the board also approved the renovation of the accommodation for La masia players in the Male camp and Female camp, which is to begin i the last week of July and last for 5weeks.

The board also approved the appointment of Bojan Kirkic who was nominated by Marotta as a Player Laison Officer to La masia players and the board approved the renewal of Luis Giráldez as the female team coach and has agreed with him to further strengthen the female first team, in which the board has approved a transfer budget of €30m for the female teams with immediate effect. Alex almost prefers to be in board meetings than be out there in the stadium, where every media would try to get a glimpse of him and he doesn't like media attention, he prefers working behind the scene.

The board meeting ended with Alex being satisfied of the outcomes and measures they've taken for the future of the team and the players. Alex together with the other members of the sports sector headed for the team bus which would head to Cantabria, for the game against Racing Club Santander, as the official first preseason game of RDZ.