SUMMARY
- The current manager of Barcelona is Xavi.
- Recently, a report came into the spotlight that Barcelona will replace Xavi as their manager with Mikel Arteta.
The Spanish club FC Barcelona hasn’t had the best of seasons so far. In addition to the club struggling to keep up with the Financial Fair Play (FFP) requirements, their manager, Xavi, hasn’t been able to get the best out of the team in recent times.
On the other hand, the Spain-born manager and former player himself, Mikel Arteta, has completely transformed how Premier League club Arsenal plays and approaches a game. The 41-year-old has taken the club from a team chasing Champions League spots to becoming a major title contender.
As per the reports, La Liga giants FC Barcelona have approached Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta over the soon-to-be vacant managerial position at the club at the end of the 2023-2024 season. The club is reportedly pushing hard and trying to convince Arteta to join them in the summer.
🚨🚨| Barcelona have reportedly contacted Mikel Arteta in an attempt to convince the Arsenal boss to join their project.
[@TheSunFootball] pic.twitter.com/JwhXg6Udti
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) March 7, 2024
Considering what Arteta has done at Arsenal, it won’t come as a surprise that he is being approached by Barcelona. However, the 41-year-old has a contract with Arsenal until June 2025. So, even if Barca manages to convince him, the Gunners might demand a substantial fee to grant Arteta an early exit that might not suit Barca’s current financial situation.
Barcelona eager to replace Xavi with Mikel Arteta
With the success that Mikel Arteta has managed to conquer with his Premier League club Arsenal, the soccer hierarchy has been recently buzzing with his managerial capabilities. No doubt La Liga giants FC Barcelona terms him as someone who could be a perfect suitor to succeed Xavi at the club.
Xavi will be leaving his managerial position at Barca after the 2023-2024 season. Reports suggest Barca’s hierarchy is eager to line up his replacement before it so that any penultimate rush could be avoided after he exits. Despite looking at several other potential candidates as well, the Spanish giants are said to be more intrigued by hiring Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal’s Premier League title charge is in full swing under Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta has managed to keep Arsenal’s title hopes alive after a recent string of positive results in the Premier League. Despite a disappointing loss to Porto in one of their Champions League ties, the Gunners have bounced back and managed to win five out of their last five league matches. Also, they have scored a decent number of goals in their recent wins.
The London-based club currently sits in the third spot with 61 points, just two points behind table-toppers Liverpool with 63 points and one point behind second-place Manchester City with 62 points. Arsenal missed out on the Premier League title last season by the slightest of margins. However, this time around, they look set to have another go at it.
