Former Barcelona defender Dani Alves has launched a scathing attack on ex-president Josep Maria Bartomeu, accusing the Spaniard of "prostituting" the club.

Bartomeu's turbulent tenure at Camp Nou recently came to an end as he announced his resignation along with the entire board, with the Catalan giants in a rut on and off the pitch as of late.

Barca have struggled for results in La Liga and became the talk of the summer after Lionel Messi handed in a transfer request - which ultimately went nowhere - but Alves has now accused La Blaugrana of becoming a "commercial team" and losing their identity.

Speaking to RAC1, Alves said: "If you change the philosophy of the club, you will go through difficulties. Barca have lost their identity. You must go through that process and get it back.

"What makes Barca different is their style and their values. In life you should not try to be what you are not. Barca are trying to be a commercial team, instead of being a team with their own personality.

"Before they signed the players they needed and they fitted into the philosophy of the club, but now they have signed a lot of people without the concept or identity of Barcelona; many valuable players, but who do not defend the identity of the club.

"The management have gone 'prostituting'. Barca defended a philosophy and now they don't have it."

Alves, who is currently plying his trade back in his native Brazil with Sao Paulo, won a total of 23 major honours during his eight-year stint in Catalonia.