Koeman ‘fed up’ with future questions at Barcelona as Xavi and Arteta talk lingers

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The Dutchman continues to see his position at Camp Nou called into question, but he is learning to turn a deaf ear to the rumours

Ronald Koeman is starting to feel “fed up” with the incessant speculation regarding his future as Barcelona boss, with the Dutchman turning a deaf ear to talk of Xavi or Mikel Arteta taking his place.

The Blaugrana legend knew he was walking into a tough situation when returning to Camp Nou as successor to Quique Setien in the summer of 2020.

On and off-field battles have been fought in the current campaign and questions continue to be asked of how long a 57-year-old coach will be sticking around – especially as hopefuls in the club’s upcoming presidential elections have their own opinions on who should be at the helm.

Koeman told reporters when asked again about his future ahead of a La Liga trip to Osasuna on Saturday: “People and the media are interested in putting names out there and creating controversy.

“The most important thing is for me to not get annoyed by it and to focus on preparing the team for the matches we have coming up. So, it doesn't interest me or annoy me when I hear names like Xavi and others.

“Finally, a new president will be elected this weekend and he will make the decisions. We will talk. I am fed up with these types of questions and have been for a while now.

“Having a president at a club like Barcelona is so important because it's the biggest club in the world, so it's important for knowing the future - whether that's dealing with my [future], the team or improving things.”

Former midfielder Xavi has generated the most buzz when it comes to managerial change in Catalunya.

Presidential candidate Victor Font has stated on a regular basis that he will look to put a World Cup winner in the dugout if he takes control of Barca’s boardroom.

Current Arsenal boss Arteta - another Catalan native who once represented the club - has also seen his name mentioned as a potential replacement for Koeman.

Goal, though, has learned that there is little substance to that speculation and that no discussions have been held.

Barca handed a two-year deal to a familiar face when luring him away from a role with the Netherlands national side.

That agreement is due to run until 2022 and would need to be paid off in order for another tactician to take the reins.

2021-03-05 18:00:03

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