Barcelona are one of several clubs on the hunt for a new manager come the end of the season with Xavi announcing over the weekend that he would be leaving. This has seen a lot of speculation about who can go into Barcelona and complete a huge rebuild with financial issues off the pitch.
There are always going to be big names attached to the potential Barcelona job given the club's history and status but off-field issues could well put off some top candidates. Mikel Arteta is a hot favourite to succeed Xavi and make a return to his former club as a player, especially with recent news reports suggesting he's told Arsenal he's ready to leave at the end of the season.
Barcelona next manager betting latest
Mikel Arteta – (1/2)
Arteta is the name on many people's lips in and around Barcelona as they look to hire a young, yet proven manager. The former Barcelona player has done wonders at the Emirates to turn Arsenal from outsiders to qualify for the Champions League to Premier League contenders.
The Gunners were in a tight title race last season and this term are in another one as well as in the knockout stages of the Champions League with a very young squad. The people at Barcelona are seemingly keen on securing Arteta's services after he's shown how he can orchestrate a successful rebuild.
According to reports in Spain, Arteta has already informed Edu and others within the Emirates that he wishes to leave at the end of this season, something which coincides with Xavis' departure and could well be a natural step for the Spaniard to take.
Jurgen Klopp – (5/1)
Given the news of Jurgen Klopp confirming he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, his name is always going to be linked with the biggest jobs in football. The German has indeed claimed he will not manage again for another year, but if Barcelona come calling it is very difficult to turn them down.
Klopp would likely not manage another team in Germany after working with Mainz and Dortmund and has already said he certainly won't be managing in England ever again. Therefore, Klopp's options are certainly limited.
It appears unlikely Klopp will be the new Barcelona manager in the summer given he wishes to take some time out to rest and recover from an intense stint at Liverpool, but that won't stop Joan Laporta from approaching the German boss.
Jose Mourinho – (6/1)
This is going to be an incredibly interesting junction in Jose Mourinho's managerial career. The Portuguese great has seen his win percentage tumble throughout his past five jobs in management, with many now questioning if he can still operate at the very highest level.
Mourinho does have a great history with Barcelona's big rivals, Real Madrid which could be a stumbling block. However, a chance for the ‘special one' to get one over on the club who sacked him earlier in his career will certainly be of interest.
He is currently the only man on this list to be without a club, which means Barcelona wouldn't have to pay any compensation fee. Given the Catalonian club's financial woes, this would be a huge green light for Laporta when it comes to a new appointment.
Rafael Marquez – (6/1)
Rafael Marquez is the man who makes the most sense for Laporta to hire as Xavi's replacement. Marquez is already in the building with Barcelona managing the club's B team in Spain's third tier of football.
This means that the Catalonian side would have someone at the helm who knows the club and youth players – making it an easier progression into the first team – so would mean everyone could buy into him with relative ease.
However, the big red flag against Marques is he isn't a big name. Therefore, when it comes to retaining star players and signing world-class talents, it could be difficult to persuade them to make the move with a relative unknown in the dugout.
There are indeed several options for Barcelona to explore and the beauty of Xavi's announcement is that the La Liga giants have a long time to prepare and have conversations with candidates.
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