Jorge Sampaoli, Ernesto Valverde, Mauricio Pochettino... who will take charge of Barcelona?
Thursday 2 March 2017 12:04, UK
Who will take over from Luis Enrique in the summer to become the next Barcelona boss? We pick out the frontrunners.
With the Barcelona head coach making the surprise announcement on Wednesday that he will step down from his job at the end of the season, the debate begins over who will succeed the 46-year-old beyond May.
With the help of our colleagues at Sky Bet, we select some of the favourites for one of football's most prestigious jobs.
Jorge Sampaoli - 2/1
The Sevilla boss has regularly been linked to the Barcelona job after impressing so far in his debut season in La Liga.
Having implemented a high-pressure, expansive style of football at Los Nervionenses, Sampaoli has successfully guided the club to the knock-out stages of the Champions League and to third in the league table.
"It is clear that this profession is about the present and the reality, and the reality now is to strive for this club," the former Chile manager said when asked if he would be interested in the Barcelona job earlier this month.
"Tomorrow, you never know. Barcelona's bench will be vacated whenever Luis Enrique decides what to do."
Ernesto Valverde - 11/4
The Athletic Bilbao manager played for Barcelona from 1988 to 1990 and was briefly coached by club legend Johan Cruyff.
The 53-year-old reached the UEFA Cup final with Espanyol in 2007 and has enjoyed great success in Greece with Olympiakos, winning three league titles and two Greek Cups over two separate spells.
Valverde has also managed Villarreal and Valencia, and Sky Sports Spanish expert Guillem Balague believes he has the right profile to become Barcelona's head coach.
"He's been close to Cruyff, he understands what Barcelona are trying to do," Balague said after Luis Enrique announced his decision.
"He's a good coach in terms of style of football. He's been at Athletic Bilbao as a coach and a player. He's been at huge clubs like Espanyol and Barcelona, so there's a lot of things that fit the profile the board are looking for."
Arsene Wenger - 6/1
Wenger's football philosophy has regularly been compared to Barcelona's over the years, so it is perhaps no surprise the under-pressure Arsenal boss is linked to a move to Spain.
The Frenchman has yet to sign a new contract with the Gunners, despite his current deal expiring at the end of the season. Wenger, 67, has reiterated his desire to continue managing next season whether at Arsenal or not.
But asked if he would be interested in taking over from Enrique, Wenger said: "No my preference has always been the same and will remain the same. I am not looking for jobs in other clubs or jobs for other people. I am just focused on me."
Ronald Koeman - 8/1
The former Barcelona defender has a strong relationship with the Catalan outfit, having made 192 appearances over a six-year period as part of the Cruyff "Dream Team".
His managerial credentials in England, Holland, Spain and Portugal are strong, and he currently has Everton sitting seventh in the Premier League table.
Frank de Boer, a fellow Dutchman and former Barcelona team-mate of Koeman, believes the Barcelona job is the 53-year-old's "dream" occupation.
"Normally I think he is [at clubs] for the long term but maybe in his contract if he gets a call from Barcelona then he can go because that is always his dream," De Boer told ESPN in February.
"He would deserve it because he is doing well and he also did well with Southampton. But hopefully for Everton he doesn't get a call and he will stick there for a couple of years like he did at Southampton."
Koeman, though, played down talk when he spoke to Sky Sports, saying: "It doesn't surprise me. It's nothing new, for five or six years I've been linked with Barca. At this moment I'm not thinking about other clubs because I signed a contract with Everton."
Laurent Blanc - 9/1
Currently without a job after leaving Paris Saint-Germain last summer by mutual consent, the former Barcelona defender led PSG to 11 trophies during his three years in charge of the club, including three Ligue 1 titles.
According to French publication SFR Sport, Blanc has already contacted Barcelona himself this week over the vacancy. Would the 51-year-old be the right man for the job?
Mauricio Pochettino - 11/1
The Tottenham manager has won plenty of fans in England for his team's progressive style of play and the successful development of some of England's brightest young players, Harry Kane and Dele Alli being just two examples.
Pochettino sidestepped questions last month about a possible move to the Nou Camp, telling reporters: "I can't say anything about that. I'm at Tottenham. I am very happy, I have four more years on my contract, I'm enjoying an exciting project."
But Barcelona have already started the search for Luis Enrique's replacement and are "big fans" of Pochettino's work, says Guillem Balague.
The outsiders
Pep Guardiola - 20/1 - Guardiola has already insisted he will never return to his former club where he enjoyed unprecedented success. Looks very unlikely.
Jurgen Klopp - 25/1 - Currently finding life difficult at Liverpool despite implementing his "Gegenpressing" style of football. Philosophical differences is just one reason why this move seems unlikely not happen.
Antonio Conte - 25/1 - Reports in Italy have suggested Conte is going to leave Chelsea at the end of the season, though Sky Sports News HQ understands they are wide of the mark.
Carles Puyol - 33/1 - One of the club's most decorated and recognisable leaders on the pitch, Puyol is loved by the fans, but has no previous managerial experience.
Sky Bet odds correct at 11am, March 2.
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