Barcelona respond to Jurgen Klopp link as Xavi’s replacement
Posted by  badge Boss on Feb 05
Jurgen Klopp is among the candidates to become Barcelona’s next manager (Getty)

sporting director, Deco, has described manager as a ‘great coach’ as the champions begin their search to replace Xavi.

Last month, , giving the club several months to find his successor.

Klopp, meanwhile, after nine years at Anfield.

Despite insisting that he will take a year out of football, Klopp has already been linked with a move to Camp Nou this summer.

When asked about a potential move for the Liverpool manager, Deco told La Vanguardia: ‘He’s a great coach but I don’t think it’s the right time to talk about that.

‘The new coach will want to make changes but first we will have to explain the project and the ideas. There are many options.’

Xavi is leaving Barcelona at the end of the season (Reuters)

Asked about Thiago Motta and Rafa Marquez, who have also been linked with Barcelona, Deco replied: ‘I don’t follow Motta’s work much because he’s not in an team that I usually watch.

‘I do follow Marquez because he is here. He is a young coach who is growing in the face of difficulties. Being here will make him a better coach.’

Speaking more broadly about Xavi’s successor, Deco said: ‘He has to follow a line of work, we will hardly be a team that doesn’t want to play well, that doesn’t want to have the ball.

‘Starting from that idea, each coach has his own characteristics, but whoever comes in has to have the ambition and hunger to do great things. And he must know where he is coming from.’

, . ,  and .