March 6th 2024.
It seems that Barcelona has their sights set on a new head coach, and the Spaniard is their top choice to replace Xavi. According to reports in Spain, the Catalan giants have not given up hope on luring Mikel Arteta away from Arsenal, and have even reached out to his representatives.
The Spanish newspaper Sport claimed that Arteta was strongly considering leaving Arsenal for Barcelona. However, the 41-year-old quickly shut down these rumors, labeling them as "totally fake news" and expressing his frustration with the links.
Despite Arteta's dismissal, Barcelona's president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco are still determined to bring him to Camp Nou. They have been impressed by the job he has done at Arsenal and believe his coaching abilities and talent for developing players would be a perfect fit for their young squad. In addition, Arteta's ties to Barcelona, having played for the academy and B team, make him an attractive candidate. Plus, his previous experience working under Pep Guardiola only adds to his appeal.
But Barcelona's pursuit of Arteta may not be an easy one. Arsenal's current competition for the Premier League title shows that Arteta is a valuable asset to the team. However, Barcelona's interest in him as Xavi's successor aligns with the type of manager Laporta and Deco are looking for. They are not deterred by Arteta's previous comments and have reportedly made informal contact with his team to gauge his interest in returning to Spain.
While a deal may be complicated, it is not impossible. Arteta's contract with Arsenal only runs until 2025, giving Barcelona a small window of opportunity to negotiate his release. But this could only happen if Arteta expresses his desire to leave and negotiates his own departure from Arsenal. Due to Barcelona's financial situation, they are unable to pay a large compensation fee for Arteta, making his willingness to make the move a crucial factor.
However, Arteta is not the only manager on Barcelona's radar. Brighton's Roberto De Zerbi is also a possible option, though his contract would require a hefty fee of at least £12 million to be terminated. Other contenders include former Germany boss Hansi Flick, who is currently without a job, and Thomas Tuchel, who will be leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season and would also be available without a compensation fee.
So, while Arteta remains a top candidate for the job, Barcelona has not put all their eggs in one basket. Only time will tell who will be chosen to lead the team in the future, but one thing is for sure: Barcelona is determined to find the perfect successor for Xavi.
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