BARCELONA: European and Spanish champions Barcelona have contracted sports marketing and media sales group Van Wagner to find the sponsor whose name will be attached to the club’s Camp Nou stadium.

Until recently Barcelona boasted proudly that its core identity could never be compromised by sponsorship.

All that has changed after the Qatar Foundation partnership organised by former president Sandro Rosell who had close business link with the Gulg state.

From there it was clearly only a small step to selling naming rights to the iconic stadium which Barcelona opened in 1957 to replace its old Las Corts home.

In fact, it is understood that the club is already most of the way towards signing up a stadium sponsor with reports that confirmition will come ahead of the the general assembly later this month.

In this case the deal with Van Wagner may be little more than a ‘cover’ to ensure there is no improved possible deal available.

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