The Spanish head coach isn’t in the running to replace Ronald Koeman in the Camp Nou hot seat, despite reports from Spain
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is not an option to be Barcelona’s new head coach if Joan Laporta wins the club’s presidential election, Goal can confirm.
Speculation over Arteta’s future began to rise over the weekend amid reports he could be in line to take the job at Camp Nou if Laporta returns to the club for a second term this month.
However, Goal has learned that the Gunners head coach has not been contacted by anyone associated with Barca over the role and he is not under consideration to succeed Ronald Koeman in the dugout.
When will Barca’s presidential election take place?
Barca were due to appoint their next president in January, but it was ultimately pushed back to March 8 after a series of delays. Laporta is running for the post alongside Victor Font and Toni Freixa, and all three men took part in the first electoral debate on Sunday before next week’s vote.
What are Laporta’s main policies?
Laporta served as Barca’s president during the most successful period in the club’s history between 2003 and 2010. The club won multiple Liga and Champions League titles on his watch, and he has promised to bring back the core values that underpinned the club’s success if he is re-elected.
The 58-year-old also insists he is the only man capable of convincing Lionel Messi to stay at Camp Nou, with the Argentine’s current contract set to expire at the end of the season.
Laporta said of a possible extension for Messi in December: “He knows the offer I make will be real and I will fulfil it. I think that will help a lot and is an advantage over the other candidates.”
Will Koeman’s job be safe under the next president?
Despite the fact that Koeman’s position is not going to come under threat from Arteta, Goal understands that the Dutchman’s long-term future remains up in the air.
Koeman was handed a two-year deal after replacing Quique Setien in August, but he could come under pressure if Barca finish the season without a trophy.
The Blaugrana are second in the Liga standings at the moment, five points behind leaders Atletico Madrid having played a game more.
Barca are also in danger of going out of the Copa del Rey and Champions League, with first leg defeats to Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain leaving them with a mountain to climb to reach the final and quarter-finals of those respective competitions.
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