Following the sack of Barcelona Manager, Quique Setien after the club’s woeful humiliation of 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals, Ronald Koeman is tipped as the next Barca manager.
Barca officials are in talks with the Dutch FA over compensation, having made the Netherlands head coach the frontrunner to succeed Setien.
Ronald Koeman is the preferred choice of president Josep Maria Bartome.
A Barcelona statement after Setien’s dismissal read: “This is the first decision within a wider restructuring of the first team which will be agreed between the current technical secretary and the new coach, who will be announced in the coming days.”
The club have also brought forward the date of the next presidential elections, which will now take place on the first matchday after March 15, 2021.
Elections have normally taken place in the summer, usually in June, but they have resisted calls for an immediate ballot to be held, saying it is “not feasible”.
“After considering all options, the board consider this to be the most viable date for the aforementioned elections,” a statement read.
Meanwhile, Tim Akinola has joined Arsenal from the third tier of Norwegian football.
The Rwandan-Norwegian will join Akinola in Arsenal’s youth ranks and the duo are seen as low risk deals for the Gunners.
Arsenal will not have to pay compensation for the 19-year-old midfielder, Akinola, who was released by Huddersfield due to the competition for places in his position.
(Agencies reports)
