Barcelona‘s managerial hunt has begun in earnest, with a multitude of options being linked to the position, some more credibly than others. However the latest report might be the most far-fetched idea of the lot – and perhaps for that reason, something within President Joan Laporta’s wheelhouse.
Laporta has made a habit of bringing back figures from his first spell at the helm of the club since returning for a second mandate. Not only was Xavi Hernandez installed as manager, but Deco appointed as Sporting Director, Bojan Krkic as a youth liaison officer, Rafael Marquez as Barca Atletic coach, Juliano Belletti as his assistant, and Javier Saviola at one point was a coach of the under-19s too.
🚨 Thiago Motta will stay in Italy, he will NOT be the next Barça coach. Everything can change in the world of football, but at the moment he is not a candidate. @FabrizioRomano via @MartinMinan_ pic.twitter.com/hLUO60uBBT
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 31, 2024
Now RadioMarca report that Laporta has reached out to former manager Frank Rijkaard to see if he would be interested in returning to the job where he spent five years. The Dutch manager retired from coaching in 2014, after stints with Galatasaray and Saudi Arabia, and has not returned since.
Laporta has told Rijkaard that he can have former Netherlands teammate Marco van Basten as his assistant too, but the ex-Milan star has no intention of returning to coaching. He has not shut the door outright, though convincing him seems like it will require all of Laporta’s charm. Rijkaard is currently involved in property business, and is an ambassador for the Johan Cruyff Foundation, living in Amsterdam with his family.
