Former defender Carles Puyol is set to join Barcelona's technical staff and he will under current sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta, a reliable source reported on Friday.

"I want to thank FC Barcelona for all that it has given me before and for this chance that has arisen now," Puyol said in the press release.

"I will try to the very best I can, and especially to learn a lot. I have always played football and tried to do so as well as possible, and I'll be doing the same with this. Now I need some time to rest and continue treatment on my knee, but I am really looking forward to it. I am very excited about this new stage of my life."

Zubizarreta stressed that Puyol will have a critical role in the team's front office from the marketing side of the business to players evaluation.

"Puyol is joining the Football Department and we will be seeking to exploit and learn from all of his experience. We also want people to realise how much he knows," Zubi said.