The Spanish season has not yet begun and Ronaldo Assis de Moreira, better known simply as Ronaldinho, has still to kick a ball in anger for his new club but Laporta can already be confident that his spectacular financial gamble will pay off.

Ronaldinho's verve and vision have inspired huge improvements from his team mates during pre-season games and the club have already won their first title of the season with victory over Espanyol in the Catalunya Cup.

Off the field, his effect has been still greater, with the 23-year-old Brazilian's arrival from Paris St Germain in one of the year's biggest transfer deals coinciding with a massive upswing in confidence among the Nou Camp fans.

Barcelona have not won a major trophy since taking the league title in 1999 and even with Ronaldinho in the side there may be too many weaknesses in key positions to prevent them challenging this season.

But after years of growing despair, the Catalan club at last look to have regained some passion and pride and they will look forward to the season, which starts on Saturday, as a chance to re-establish themselves as worthy challengers to Real Madrid.

"Ronaldinho is worth two world-class players," said Laporta, who had also promised to try to bring in David Beckham, only to see the England captain opt to join Real.

"At the age of 23, he's about to dedicate the best years of his life to Football Club Barcelona."

OUTSTANDING TALENT

Ronaldinho emerged during Brazil's World Cup win in South Korea and Japan last year as one of the game's outstanding talents.

England fans remember with horror the 35-metre lob over David Seaman in Brazil's 2-1 victory in the quarter-finals but that was only one of many moments of brilliance from the mop-haired midfielder.

Playing alongside former Barcelona favourites Ronaldo and Rivaldo, he provided an entirely unpredictable measure of creativity to the attack, with a series of stepovers, feints and improvised passes.

His record in club football is more chequered, however.

After starring for Brazil at the under-17 world championship in Egypt in 1997, he joined his local club Gremio in Porto Alegre and quickly emerged as a player to watch.

His form earned him a lucrative move to Paris St Germain in March 2001 but a protracted legal argument over his contract prevented him from playing until the start of the following season.

He scored nine league goals in his debut season in Europe, doing enough to win back his place in the Brazil squad before going on to gain global fame with his World Cup performances.

A much publicised spat with PSG coach Luis Fernandez, coupled with a drop in form, meant a far less successful 2002-03 season.

Fernandez was furious with his star player for arriving back late from the winter break. Reports began to surface that his love of the Paris nightlife were affecting his performances on the field.

INTERNATIONAL INTEREST

With Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona all sniffing around, it quickly became clear that Ronaldinho's days in the French capital were numbered.

He eventually opted for Barcelona, largely because of the huge success enjoyed by Romario, Ronaldo and Rivaldo during their time at the Nou Camp.

"Those three players were all named as Footballer of the Year while playing for Barca," Ronaldinho explained. "I want to do the same."

Barcelona fans are already convinced he can match the achievements of that great Brazilian trio.

A record crowd of 90,000 chanted Ronaldinho's name and cheered his every move during his first match at the Nou Camp last weekend, a 1-1 draw against Boca Juniors in the traditional pre-season Joan Gamper tournament.

One audacious chip from 25 metres that beat the Boca keeper and sailed into the net brought gasps of admiration, even though the whistle had already gone for offside.

Ronaldinho alone may not be able to guarantee Barcelona the league title, with the club still in need of a reliable centre-forward to capitalise on his passing, but the change in mood is apparent.

For three years, the Nou Camp has witnessed angry protests about the running of the club under former president Joan Gaspart and the hapless coaching of Louis van Gaal and his predecessors Carles Rexach and Llorenc Serra Ferrer.

Now, the fans are firmly on side.

"The Joan Gamper trophy used to be just a match -- now it's a fiesta," one fan told local television.

How long the club stays in party mood will depend on Ronaldinho.