Barcelona technical secretary Ramon Planes has left the club less than two years after taking the job, the beleaguered La Liga giants announced on Tuesday.

The 54-year-old Planes first joined Barca in 2018 as assistant to then-technical secretary Eric Abidal, before replacing the Frenchman when he quit last year.

"Barcelona and Ramon Planes have reached an agreement to terminate the contract that bound both parties until 30 June 2022, at the request of the man who had until now been the club's technical secretary," Barcelona said in a statement.

Planes was responsible for signing teenage star Pedri from Las Palmas and also brought Uruguayan centre-back Ronald Araujo to the Camp Nou.

It is the latest blow to Barca this year. The club are struggling financially and saw Lionel Messi leave for Paris Saint-Germain in the close-season.

Club great Xavi will make his bow as coach this weekend in the Catalan derby against Espanyol after replacing the sacked Ronald Koeman.

Barcelona are languishing ninth in the La Liga table this term, 11 points behind leaders Real Sociedad.