Barcelona failed to pick up a center back this summer, but sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta assures the Blaugrana faithful that getting Carles Puyol back in shape is the equivalent of a marquee summer signing.
"With 24 hours left before the summer transfer window ended, Puyol came out to train," Zubizarreta said, according to ESPN. "Puyol is our summer signing. His recovery is going very positively so we have included him in our considerations for the immediate future of the squad. We are working on the idea of him returning after the international break. We are reasonably optimistic. Puyol has gone through a difficult patch and that says a lot for him."
The team made a number of attempts at signing such major center backs as Thiago Silva, David Luiz and Daniel Agger but came up empty at every turn.
"Throughout Barca's history, centre-backs have always been difficult to sign" Zubizarreta added. "Nobody has told me that any deals could not be made for financial reasons. But whenever you try to make deals you reach a point when you feel a player is only worth so much and no more."
Whether or not Puyol is able to stay fit for the whole season remains to be seen. The 35-year-old Barcelona captain has struggled with his physique. However, Zubizarreta believes that the health of Puyol and other defense partners will help Blaugrana regain its stature as the top team in the world.
"Last year [Gerard] Pique was injured and also Puyol, and we managed the best first half of the season in history," said Zubizarreta. "We competed, and we adapted. Adriano [Correia] has played there, we have [Marc] Bartra, who has great potential, and [Frank] Bagnack is coming through strongly."