Barcelona are talking to Cruyff, reveals Bartomeu

The new president told reporters on Monday that the Blaugrana have been back in touch with the Netherlands icon, who was frozen out by previous chief Sandro Rosell

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has revealed that the Catalan club are in talks with their former player and coach Johan Cruyff with a view to repairing their relationship with the Dutch legend.

Cruyff is a hugely popular figure with Barca fans following his successful spell as a player and triumphant return as coach, when he led the Dream Team to a number of titles in the early 1990s.

The Dutchman, who still lives in the Catalan capital, then worked as a consultant to former president Joan Laporta between 2003 and 2010, when he was also handed the title of honorary president.

But Laporta's foe Sandro Rosell stripped the Dutchman of that role after winning the elections in the summer of 2010 and Cruyff subsequently cut all ties with Barca.

On assuming the presidency late last month, Bartomeu claimed he would reach out to Cruyff and the new Blaugrana chief confirmed on Monday that preliminary talks have taken place.

"We have been in contact with people close to Cruyff," he said at a press conference to announce some changes in the club's board structure on Monday. "We will keep talking. He is a very important person for us and for this club. Little by little, things will return to normal."