Braida get Barca role

Madrid - Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has confirmed that former AC Milan player and director Ariedo Braida will form part of a new committee tasked with signing players.

The Catalans giants are currently serving a 12-month transfer ban that won't be lifted until January next year.

However, Bartomeu said Braida will form a technical commission alongside former Barca boss Carles Rexach that will be tasked with preparing the club for their return to the transfer market

"Tomorrow we will make it official and explain it. The idea is to have a technical commission consisting of two very well-known people," Bartomeu said after Barca's 3-1 Copa del Rey semi-final, first-leg win over Villarreal on Wednesday.

"Charles Rexach knows the club, the first team and the academy.

"Braida has great prestige, he has a lot of contacts and knows a lot of players. Together the two of them will do a great job."

Barca have been without a sporting director since the club's former goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta was sacked in January.

Bartomeu insisted the club could sign players this summer as long as they don't register them until they are free to play the following January.

"We will look at what players we need to renew contracts, which players will come up from the B team, who could leave and look outside the club as well.

"We can sign players without registering them."