Could Patrick Kluivert or Laurent Blanc become the next Barcelona manager?
The writing is on the wall for manager Quique Setien at Barcelona.
Real Madrid were confirmed La Liga champions last week following a 2-1 win over Villarreal.
Barcelona, who’ll finish as runners-up, take on Alaves on Sunday in their final match of the season.
Will it also be Setien’s last game in the Barcelona dugout?
On Sunday, Spanish papers Sport and Mundo Deportivo both have stories suggesting who the new Barcelona manager could be.
For Sport, it’s Laurent Blanc. For Mundo Deportivo, it’s Patrick Kluivert.
Patrick Kluivert is being tipped by Mundo Deportivo
Former Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert is a former Barcelona player.
Kluivert scored 122 goals in 257 games for the Catalans, while he’s already employed at the Camp Nou as the club’s director of youth football.
On the rumour that Kluivert could replace Setien, Mundo Deportivo report:
The possibility that Kluivert is the coach of Barça by the next Champions League (game), news revealed by Mundo Deportivo, has gone down well in the locker room.
They see Kluivert as a true standard-bearer for the Barca model, capable of stirring up the players and giving Messi exactly what he is demanding: intensity and character.
Kluivert is the leader on the bench that Barca lacks, a coach who has been a high-level player wearing the Barca shirt and a person who knows how to face every situation.
So will Kluivert actually get the job? That’s up to Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
‘Opción Kluivert’
en nuestra portada de este domingo #portada #deporte https://t.co/CtaeYlACZv pic.twitter.com/FV2qcIt2ne
— Mundo Deportivo (@mundodeportivo) July 18, 2020
Sport say Laurent Blanc could replace Setien at the Camp Nou
Spanish paper Sport believe that former French World Cup winner, Laurent Blanc, could become the new Barcelona coach.
It’s reported that Blanc’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has spoken with the club.
Like Kluivert, Blanc is a former Barcelona player. The French defender played the 1996-97 season at the Camp Nou.
In that one year in Spain, Blanc won the Super Cup, Copa del Rey, and Cup Winner’s Cup.
According to Sport, Blanc is eager to take the Barcelona job and he’s willing to act as a “bridge” as the Catalans work out their next managerial move.
Barcelona are set for presidential elections in 2021.
#FCB 🔵🔴
🗣 Jorge Mendes, su nuevo agente, ya ha hablado con el club y es una opción que se está valorando
✅ Estaría dispuesto a coger el equipo de inmediato si fuera necesariohttps://t.co/3ckSiNj7fx
— Diario SPORT (@sport) July 19, 2020
Victor Font on the 2021 Barcelona presidential elections
Last week, Victor Font, who has thrown his hat in the ring to become the new Barcelona president, spoke to the BBC about that decision and his vision for the club.
Victor Font confirmed that he’s spoken to Xavi about becoming the Barcelona manager in 2021.
Font also revealed his plans to restructure the decision-making processes inside the Camp Nou. Specifically, he outlined his plans to reshape the Barcelona board with an aim on improving the club’s transfer efficiency and success rate.
🎙 @victor_font on his sports project, which has already been worked out WITH Xavi, who’ll be the man to shape it and make the decisions. pic.twitter.com/MG0ksKdh3k
— Navid Molaaghaei (@navidjaaan) July 17, 2020
🎙 @victor_font believes that Xavi will decline an offer from Bartomeu this summer and wait another year to join a new project under the right conditions. “We cannot burn an asset like Xavi,” Font rightfully says. pic.twitter.com/t7f1vXu2Pa
— Navid Molaaghaei (@navidjaaan) July 17, 2020
🎙 VERY IMPORTANT. @victor_font explains how the current FCB board consists of wealthy people with no knowledge of football who can close entry barrier. Shocking. He wants to change the law that to create a new board, members (15-21 ppl) have to pay 15% of FCB budget (150M atm). pic.twitter.com/L95szmv4eD
— Navid Molaaghaei (@navidjaaan) July 17, 2020
Why Leo Messi doesn’t have too many options if he wants to leave Barcelona
Last week, Spanish paper El Pais looked into Leo Messi’s plans for the future.
As has been well-documented, Messi could leave Barcelona as a free agent in 2021.
El Pais have considered where Messi could realistically go if he decided to leave the Camp Nou.
Man City are ruled out of the equation. Indeed, Pep Guardiola recently said he wanted Leo to stay at Barcelona.
Real Madrid are also considered to be out of the picture after Los Blancos gave up hope of signing Messi a while ago.
Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham are also chalked off for lacking the attraction for the Argentine.
Meanwhile, Juventus have Cristiano Ronaldo, while Liverpool and Bayern Munich have different transfer models.
El Pais conclude that PSG could be the only club willing and able to sign Messi.
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