The race for Barcelona’s presidency has heated up with candidate Jordi Majo sensationally revealing he has been offered the chance to sign Real Madrid star Sergio Ramos.

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Despite being an outsider for the contest, which is expected to be won by former president Joan Laporta or the most recent incumbent, Josep Maria Bartomeu, Majo certainly succeeded in taking the battle for early headlines with his claim that Ramos had been presented as a potential signing.

The central defender, who has been with Real Madrid for 10 years, has a somewhat uncertain future after failing to agree an extension to his contract at the Bernabeu, which expires in 2017.

The incredible suggestion that he could join Barcelona has now been mooted for the first time, although Majo was quick to insist that he has no plans to pursue the Spain international, hinting that he believes the approach is little more than a negotiating tactic with Madrid president Florentino Perez rather than a serious offer.

“Sergio Ramos has been offered to me as an electoral trump card,” revealed Majo. “But I’m not going to play that game just so he can boost his image.”

However, one star name who definitely is involved in Majo’s campaign is former Barca winger Michael Laudrup, who has already signed a contract to become the club’s new sporting director if Majo wins the election.

Barca have been without a permanent sporting director since the sacking of Andoni Zubizarreta in January, instead relying upon an advisory panel including former boss Charly Rexach.

Laudrup, who was a member of the first Barca team to win the European Cup in 1992 before controversially leaving to join Real Madrid, has now emerged as a shock contender to fill the vacant position, with Majo saying: “We’ve had it in black and white for a month and a half. He will hold a press conference on July 4.”

Ex-Swansea boss Laudrup is available for employment after leaving Qatari club Lekhwiya, where he won a league and cup double last season.

Bartomeu, meanwhile, has launched his campaign by leaning upon the treble-winning success enjoyed by the team during his stewardship last season.

Using the slogan ‘Good for Barca’ and pointing to his regime’s signing of both Neymar and Luis Suarez, Bartomeu said: “We have closed one era of success and opened another.”

He was keen to undermine Laporta’s campaign by pointing to the huge levels of debt inherited when his previous presidency finished in 2010.

He said: “We found a club with an excellent sporting situation but unsustainable in other areas, especially economically.

Laporta also launched his campaign yesterday, and is expected to hold a press conference on Monday to give more details of his plans.