Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is Barcelona president Joan Laporta’s ‘favourite’ to replace Ronald Koeman at the club.
That’s according to El Nacional, who say that the Catalan giants could put a temporary manager in charge for the season to give them time to convince the German.
Ronald Koeman is currently in charge at the Camp Nou but clearly in the final days of his tenancy, with both the fans and those in charge at the club turning against him.
Laporta, and his friends in the press, have ramped up the pressure on the Dutchman, and it now seems inevitable that there will be a change in manager sooner rather than later.
El Nacional say the Barcelona president had ‘had enough’, and work is already underway to find a replacement for Koeman.
The ‘favourite’ for the position is Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who he reportedly spoke to during the summer and wants to speak to again.
The German is unlikely to leave Anfield midway through the campaign, and so the idea is to put a ‘temporary coach’ in charge for this season in order to give Laporta more time to convince Klopp into the move.
The Liverpool boss is not the only one on the shortlist, with Ajax’s Erik Ten Hag, Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel all on there.
The ‘German school’ is one that the board likes, though, and thus the interest in Klopp and Tuchel is ‘no coincidence’ as Liverpool’s and Chelsea’s success in Europe was ‘orchestrated’ by them.
The idea of Tuchel is certainly one that is gaining strength as well, with Mundo Deportivo also reporting today that he was on the list of options.
If neither can be convinced, Barcelona will instead turn to a long-term coach such as Xavi Hernandez, Roberto Martinez or Andrea Pirlo.
Each has a different situation to overcome, but it seems they will only be looked at once both Klopp and Tuchel have been completely ruled out.
