Austria head coach and former Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick has apparently emerged as a candidate to become Barcelona's new manager.
Only a matter of months after leading the Blaugrana to the 2022-23 La Liga title, current incumbent Xavi announced that he would be stepping down as Barca head coach at the end of the season.
The club legend revealed his decision to the press after overseeing a chastening 5-3 loss to Villarreal at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, Barcelona's temporary home while Camp Nou undergoes renovations.
Xavi - who took the Barcelona reins in November 2021 following the sacking of Ronald Koeman - claimed that the Spanish champions need to go in a different direction and labelled the Blaugrana job "cruel and unpleasant" while announcing his departure.
Ahead of the former midfielder's exit at the end of the season, the Barcelona powers-that-be are running the rule over several candidates, and according to The Sun, Rangnick is a name on Joan Laporta's radar.
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The 65-year-old had held a variety of managerial and director roles during his 40-year career in football administration, including a stint as Man United's caretaker boss in the second half of the 2021-22 campaign.
Rangnick was initially expected to continue at Old Trafford in a consultancy role under Erik ten Hag, but he severed ties with the Red Devils completely and was appointed manager of the Austria national team that same summer.
With the former RB Leipzig chief at the helm, Austria qualified for Euro 2024 in second place behind Belgium in their preliminary section, and they will tackle France, the Netherlands and one of the playoff winners in the group phase this summer.
Rangnick's contract with Das Team runs until the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup, but the report claims that Laporta has taken a liking to the veteran coach, who was Leipzig's sporting director during their rise to prominence from 2012 to 2019.
It is unclear whether Rangnick has any intention of departing the Austrian national team before his contract is up, though, and he is just one of a handful of candidates being vetted by Barcelona.
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Xavi's resignation announcement came just one day after Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp delivered the bombshell news that he would be leaving his Anfield post at the end of the season, and Barcelona have apparently earmarked the German as a top candidate.
However, Klopp plans to take a year-long sabbatical before making a call on whether he will return to management, and Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta - a former Barca youth player - quickly rubbished links with the Camp Nou job as well.
Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel and former manager Hansi Flick have been mentioned as possible candidates, as has Julian Nagelsmann, whose Germany contract only runs until the end of Euro 2024.
Closer to home, Rafael Marquez - a former Barcelona defender now in charge of the club's Atletic side - has expressed his interest in the role, although sporting director Deco has claimed that the Mexican will only be an emergency option.
Barcelona sit third in the La Liga table - 10 points behind leaders Real Madrid - and are back in action away to Celta Vigo on Saturday evening.
Ben Knapton
