BARCA EYE MLS FRANCHISE

Barcelona have confirmed plans to bid for co-ownership of an expansion franchise in Major League Soccer.

The Spanish giants will present their bid later on Wednesday in partnership with Bolivian entrepreneur Marcelo Claure, and hope to secure the rights to one of two expansion teams MLS plans to add by 2010.

Claure owns FC Bolivar, who are already partners of Barca.

Barca have set up a company with Claure to pursue the bid, with applications due to MLS on Wednesday for the latest round of expansion.

"The company's sole aim right now is present an application for a franchise and promote it to MLS," a Barca statement said. "If the candidature is successful, the company will become a reality, otherwise it will fold."

If the deal comes off, it would make Barcelona the first European club to have ownership of an MLS team.

Club Deportivo Guadalajara of Mexico own Los Angeles-based franchise Chivas USA.

Barca hope to locate a team in Miami, the former home of the Miami Fusion who launched in 1998 but folded three years later.

MLS is also considering bids from St Louis, Portland, Montreal and Vancouver, among others, for franchises.

One key to securing a franchise is having an acceptable stadium plan for the club.

"(There isn't) any definitive plan as to the ground the new team will use, although the most likely solution will be Florida International University, with whom negotiations are already at a late stage as the potential club seeks to use the facility for at least the first two years of its existence," Barca's statement concluded.