Ronald Koeman's potential replacement says 'I'm open to any possibility'

Xavi Hernandez has distanced himself from the Barcelona managerial position but made it clear that he will assess the offer, if it does arrive. The pressure on Ronald Koeman has been unrelenting in recent weeks after Barcelona's poor start to both their La Liga and Champions League campaigns.

The Catalan club are currently in ninth place in La Liga, while their Champions League campaign began with two straight 3-0 losses to Bayern Munich and Benfica. Koeman's future has been questioned since the start of the campaign, and despite club president Joan Laporta backing the Dutchman, it seems inevitable that he will be replaced if poor results continue.

Xavi has been touted as Barcelona's first choice to replace Koeman, but the Camp Nou legend seems content with his position at Al Sadd at the moment. The former Spain international has inculcated his former club's famed attacking style of play and led them to the title in 2021, without losing a single game.

Barcelona supporters would welcome their hero with open arms, but Xavi has indicated that while he is open to "all possibilities" he will assess the offer before making any decision about his future. The Spaniard will be keen to ensure he leaves behind a legacy at the Middle East club after first starring for them as a player before taking over the reigns.

"Any offer will be valued and then decided upon," Xavi said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo. "I don't know where my future will take me, but I'm open to any possibility."

While Xavi remains a top target for Barcelona, they have also looked at other potential candidates to take over from Koeman if the Dutch manager fails to arrest the ongoing slide. Among them are Belgium manager Roberto Martinez and former Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo, who is a surprising candidate owing to his lack of experience at the top level.

Koeman is likely to be given a few more matches after the ongoing international break to stake his claim for a long-term future at the Camp Nou. The Dutch coach could have Sergio Aguero and Ousmane Dembele back in the squad following their return to training, which will give his ailing attack a major boost going forward.