With Ronaldo Koeman seemingly very slowly on his way out from Barcelona, whether it be this year or the next, Joan Laporta has big plans for his successor.
The newly elected president has decided, according to AS, to ‘go all out’ for Pep Guardiola, currently preparing for Manchester City’s next game, which so happens to be the Champions League final against Chelsea.
The article on their website explain Laporta ‘has not yet thrown in the towel’ when it comes to their former manager, despite many seeing this as a ‘mission doomed for failure’.
AS explain the president ‘plans to contact the current City manager on Sunday to propose that he return to Barcelona’, holding back from doing so before out of respect for Guardiola’s work ahead of the important game.
Laporta has, in fact, ‘assured his most intimate surroundings that he is able to convince’ the Manchester City manager to return, and while it might not be for next season, ‘the goal is for Pep to agree to take the team from 2022-23 onwards’.
The idea here would be that if the president can secure his dream target, Koeman ‘would fulfil his remaining year and go free in the summer of 2022’, allowing a smooth transition.
Laporta ‘wants to play all his cards in his bet on Guardiola’, and it’s reiterated ‘it will be on Sunday’ after the Champions League final.
However, should the Manchester City manager refuse the offer, Laporta ‘will continue’ to look for a Koeman replacement and that could see him leave this summer.
