Puyol's Barca talks on track Defender wants to end career at Camp Nou

Puyol's Barca talks on track

Defender wants to end career at Camp Nou

Carles Puyol: Feels valued by Barcelona and says talks over a new deal are progressing well

Puyol current contract only runs until next summer and he has had a difficult few months after missing the European Championship due to injury.Carles Puyol does not anticipate any problems in finalising a new deal with Barcelona as he wants to stay at the club until he retires.

The Spanish defender, who turned 34 in April, is nevertheless set to agree fresh terms after deciding that he would not want to play for anyone else.

He told Marca: "I have always felt very valued by the club, the fans, my team-mates and the manager. I can't have any complaints. There isn't going to be any problem and the talks are on the right track.

"I have changed my idea (about the experience of playing at another club) and now I want to retire here. I will try to do so. I have the will and desire to continue playing if the club wants me.

"What I don't want though is for me to become a drag, I am very clear on this."

Puyol remains ambitious and is desperate to get back onto the field of play for the start of the season, having been given permission to return to action.

He said: "It has been a hard summer. I have to train a lot but it has borne fruit. I am happy to be already with the team.

"I always try to take care of myself as much as possible. I will try to contribute everything to the team, to win everything and then we will see what happens."

Hungry Villa

As part of Puyol's off-season recuperation programme he spent a lot of time training with David Villa as the striker also missed the Euros on his way back from a serious injury suffered in December - and Puyol believes Spain's all-time leading international goalscorer is progressing well after nearly eight months out of the game.

"He looks good, hungry, excited and with a lot of intensity in the training sessions. When you have an injury like this, though, it is important to not rush back and return in good condition," said Puyol.

With Jordi Alba's return to the club the only significant move Barca have made in the transfer market all summer, the major change has come on the sidelines where Tito Vilanova has stepped up from his role as assistant to succeed Pep Guardiola as manager - but Puyol has no doubt Vilanova will bring his own skills to the job.

He explained: "Here everyone is important. Tito is very valued, we believe he will offer us a lot.

"He will do his job and we will do ours. Here we all pull in the same direction and we all have our part to play."