Since Xavi Hernandez’s announcement of leaving FC Barcelona at the end of the season, several tacticians have been linked with the Catalan club to take over from the departing Xavi for the next season.
Some high-profile names like Jurgen Klopp and Hansi Flick have been associated with the Catalan club, while some other notable names also include Michel, Sergio Conceicao, Thiago Motta, and the Barcelona Atletic Manager, Rafa Marquez.
Another name that was reported to be liked by the Catalan club’s hierarchy is the Real Sociedad manager, Imanol Alguacil, who has also been linked with Barcelona in the past as well.
However, as Mundo Deportivo has reported, the manager was not too keen on moving to the Blaugrana club and rejected such a possibility in the clearest of terms, as he said with a sigh:
“It’s something I’m not supposed to answer. I can say that Xavi is the right person for Barcelona, and it will be difficult for them to find someone like him. All my respect to him. The rest is unnecessary.”
“I am in the best club I can be, highly valued, delighted to belong to Real. I want to continue making history here; my contract ends in 2025, and I hope to renew again. I have to earn that. I won’t be better off anywhere else than here.”
Before Alguacil spoke to the club, the Sporting Director of the club, Robert Olabe, had also said that La Real would allow the coach to select whatever duration he wants in his next contract, and that Alguacil can remain at the club as long as he wants.
Thus, as both the manager and club want to keep their ties intact for the coming years, Alguacil’s name can be safely considered to be a less likely one to replace Xavi at Barcelona for the next season.
