Barcelona appoint Ramon Planes as new technical director to replace Abidal

Barcelona have appointed Ramon Planes as the club's new technical director.

Planes succeeds Eric Abidal, who was sacked on Tuesday as the club revamp their management team following their 8-2 hammering at the hands of Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Spaniard was previously Abidal's assistant, having joined from Getafe in the summer of 2018.

The 52-year-old has previously worked at a number of Spanish clubs, including Espanyol, Racing Santander, Alaves, Lleida, Elche and Rayo Vallecano.

He also had a short spell in the Premier League alongside Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham during the 2014-15 season.

The announcement of Planes' promotion came shortly before Barcelona confirmed the appointment of Ronald Koeman as the club's new head coach.

The former Blaugrana defender succeeds Quique Setien, whose seven-month spell in charge at Camp Nou was brought to an end at the start of the week.

With the new management team in place, the work can now begin on rebuilding an ageing squad that was brutally exposed by Bayern in Lisbon.

The first task is likely to be to try and convince Lionel Messi to stay, amid rumours the forward is considering his future having grown increasingly frustrated at the direction of the club.

The 33-year-old is about to enter the final year of his contract at Camp Nou and has been linked with a move to Inter, with Nerazzurri director Massimiliano Mirabelli describing a move for the Argentine as "more than a dream."

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu insists Messi is not going anywhere, though, and Planes' task alongside Koeman is likely to be structuring a team around the South American superstar.

That would likely mean a substantial clear-out to rid the squad of underperforming players, as well as raise funds for new signings.

Paris Saint-Germain star, and former Barca attacker, Neymar and Inter striker Lautaro Martinez are among a host of players to be linked with a move to Camp Nou, though it seems the club would have to sell before they can buy.

Bartomeu's position has also been brought into question following a number of failed transfers, though he has indicated that he will not stand down before the presidential elections in March of 2021.