Josep Maria Bartomeu wants to fulfill his promise of uniting barcelonismo. And one of the first steps in doing so is try and bring three men on board who were not necessarily on his side during the election campaign: Eric Abidal, Carles Puyol and Johan Cruyff.

Xavi Canals

Abidal rejected an offer to re-join Barça under Bartomeu earlier this year. It was a double offer, which would have involved working with the club's football schools around the world and being the middle man between the players and the board. The former French international turned down the chance to work with Bartomeu, though, instead opting to take on a role with Olympiakos and then becoming part of Joan Laporta's campaign team. He would have become the club's sporting director if Laporta was elected.

Bartomeu still wants Abidal to come back to the club in some capacity and will speak to him in the coming days about what that would take. One option will be for Abidal to work with the Barça Foundation. The president has already announced he will continue to work with the Foundation, but his intention is to expand these links.

Puyol is also a figure Bartomeu wants to incorporate. The Catalan left the club at the beginning of the year and even though he didn't get involved with anyone in the elections, one of his best friends, Demetrio Albertini, supported Laporta. He already knows of Bartomeu's intentions to get him back on board, but he will not take a decision until after the summer. For now, he is spending time in Ibiza.

As for Cruyff, the Barça Foundation is working with the Dutchman on a common project, under the name 'Pati 14', which has already rehabilitated 10 schools in Barcelona. Bartomeu wishes to expand these links and to mend the relationship with one of the most important faces in barcelonismo.