Pep Guardiola said to have told Laporta his ‘chosen one’ for Barcelona job – Manchester City manager asked for name

With Xavi set to leave Barcelona at the end of the season, his replacement has been one of the big topics in the Catalan media lately.

It turns out that even Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is involved in that operation, according to local reports.

Catalunya Radio, relayed by Mundo Deportivo, now claims that Barcelona president Joan Laporta has been asking for some advice when it comes to who should take Xavi’s place.

It’s said that it used to be a rule at Barcelona to contact Johan Cruyff for that kind of advice. With the Dutchman passing in 2016, it’s now Guardiola who is seen as the wise voice to follow into the light.

The report says the Manchester City boss then suggested the current manager of Brighton & Hove Albion manager Robert De Zerbi, so the Italian’s name is now seen as the ‘chosen one’.

Of course, this story sounds very much like a Barcelona myth building, with even Johan Cruyff getting mentioned in the whole process.

De Zerbi’s start at Brighton surely makes him one of the wanted managers in Europe, but we wonder if with Guardiola busy at Manchester City, he would be helping those who call the shots at Barcelona.