Just in: Barcelona confirm Koeman as new manager
FC Barcelona have confirmed Ronald Koeman as their new manager – and want the Dutchman will oversee a huge squad overhaul.
According to Diario AS, as reported by the Daily Mail, former Barca star and current Netherlands manager Koeman now replaced Setien.
The former Barca captain was spotted in the city on Sunday and it’s now emerged a contract is close to being settled.
Koeman will be offered a two-year contract, though the second year will be determined by the presidential election. A release from the Dutch FA is expected to be a formality.
While former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is a favourite of president Josep Maria Bartomeu, it’s been agreed amongst board members that Koeman is the better option at this stage in the club’s history.
Koeman is a big favourite of the Barca support and his return would ease the tension between fans and the current regime.
It is also claimed that one of his first acts will be to oversee a mammoth restructure of the underachieving squad, who also missed out on the La Liga title this season.
In fact, seven first-team players face the axe, with the report naming Ivan Rakitic, Ousmane Dembele, Arturo Vidal, Arthur Melo, Junior Firpo, Martin Braithwaite and Samuel Umtiti.
