Barcelona are searching for the right man to lead their project forward after Xavi Hernandez announced his resignation publicly on Saturday night, with President Joan Laporta and Sporting Director Deco reaching a crossroads for their current mandate.
Numerous names have been suggested as potential replacements, with varying degrees of probability. Before the departure was announced, Michel Sanchez, Imanol Alguacil, Thiago Motta and Rafael Marquez were in the frame as potential replacements.
Since, the exit of Jurgen Klopp from Liverpool has made him the choice of many, despite him saying that he will be taking a year-long sabbatical. Sport claim that he is Laporta’s top of list, and they are convinced that they can convince him to miss out his year of rest. Thomas Tuchel’s comments that that he was still attracted to managing abroad also pricked up years in Catalonia, while compatriot Hansi Flick has been suggested in Germany too.
🚨 Mikel Arteta (Arsenal manager): "Barça rumours? It's all fake news. I am very upset about it." Via @partidazocope
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 29, 2024
Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi has been in-fashion for some time, and has had his name added to the list of favourites – he is also a candidate to replace Klopp at Anfield. Finally Sergio Conceicao, who has close links to Deco and agent Jorge Mendes has been mentioned as a possibility too.
The choice will not be a simple one though. Cadena SER claim that Xavi Hernandez’s new contract, a one-year extension until 2025, with a salary of €8m per year, has not been registered with La Liga yet. Clearly this will need to be sorted before a new manager comes in. La Liga, as is the case with emergency injury signings, allows clubs more leeway to hire a coach, but that money impacts the salary limit at the end of the season. That leeway Barcelona took advantage of to extend Xavi’s contract is yet to be compensated.
Indeed, GdS (via Football Italia) report that Motta has a certain advantage over de Zerbi for the pure fact that he is cheaper – the ex-PSG midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season, where as de Zerbi has a release clause believed to be in the region of €10-13m.
🚨 BREAKING: Bayern's official statement on Thomas Tuchel and links to Barcelona job:
“Tuchel never spoke about Xavi and his successor, as was falsely claimed afterwards”.
“He also answered general questions from fans about Spain as a footballing country”. @FabrizioRomano pic.twitter.com/dkBgKwF1vG
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 29, 2024
Along those lines, Relevo say that if Barcelona were desperate to recruit the likes of Tuchel or Klopp, their salaries are €12m per annum and €17.3m per annum respectively, which currently are out of the question. They say unless Barcelona secure the €40m investment that was supposed to be paid by Libero for 9.8% of Barca Vision, then signing the likes of Klopp or Tuchel in the summer will be impossible.
Of course the other alternative to creating room in their salary limit is by selling players, something Barcelona are likely to consider at any rate. If they get to the situation where they are incapable of sparing enough cash to bring in a manager they want, then Marquez will be the low-cost option to take over.
This is getting more hilarious by the day ahahahahahahah🫵🤣