Proposed Everton switch collapses due to €8m fee, strange situation, amount ‘considered excessive’

 

The announcement of Barcelona’s next manager is considered to be close, or at least that’s what the Catalan media hope. Several managers have been linked with the position in recent months, with Ronald Koeman popping up regularly.

Everton’s Dutch manager was part of Barcelona’s ‘Dream Team’, the side which, at Wembley, won the club’s first ever European Cup. Koeman scored in that match, and he’ll forever have a place in the hearts of Barcelona fans.

In their Monday and Tuesday editions Catalan newspaper Sport took a look at the candidates, including Koeman. On both days he’s been pretty much ruled out because of the €8m get-out-fee Barcelona would have to pay Everton.

That seems to be the overruling reason to dismiss Koeman, and it sounds ridiculous. Koeman may not be the ideal candidate, and it’s fair to rule him out for that, and doubts whether he’d work well with Barcelona’s current squad.

But the €8m should be neither here nor there. Given some of the fees Barcelona have paid for players in recent seasons (looking at you, Andre Gomes), €8m to get a manager is nothing.

Barcelona have every right to rule Koeman out, for many reasons, and they’d likely be correct… but being cheap over a clause ‘considered excessive’ shouldn’t come into it.