Barcelona's dream appointment unlikely to become a reality

Barcelona are dreaming of bringing Jurgen Klopp to the Camp Nou. The Liverpool coach is currently on top of the Catalan club's managerial wish list, but his long contract makes it almost impossible to make a move for him now, and the Spanish club are aware that they are being optimistic.

The La Liga giants have made a poor start to the current campaign under Ronald Koeman and are currently sitting in ninth place in the league. They are also in third place in their Champions League group, having lost back-to-back matches against Bayern Munich and Benfica.

Koeman's future at Barcelona was brought into question following three straight losses earlier in the season, but a recent report suggested that his job at the Camp Nou was safe at least for the next week. If the results do not improve, according to the Daily Mail, it is a matter of time before the former Everton boss is sacked.

Barcelona had shortlisted a number of candidates to replace Koeman, including Belgium manager Roberto Martinez, former Barcelona star Xavi Hernandez and surprisingly, former Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo. However, according to the English tabloid, Klopp remains their preferred choice to take over the reins at the Camp Nou.

The La Liga giants are aware that they are being optimistic in their pursuit of the German manager, who has a contract with Liverpool until the summer of 2024. Klopp has indicated that he wants to honour his current deal with the Anfield club, but has declined to extend it, suggesting that he wants to take a year off before deciding his next destination with retirement also an option on the table.

"I'll take a year off and ask myself if I miss football," Klopp said last year when asked about his plans post-2024. "If I say no, then that will be the end of coach Jurgen Klopp."