Barcelona eye Premier League manager with €10 million release clause as Xavi replacement - Reports

Barcelona are reportedly interested in appointing Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager following Xavi Hernandez's departure at the end of the season.

Xavi recently announced that he will step down from his managerial position when the current campaign comes to an end. Following his announcement, many names have been linked with the Barca job. This includes the likes of Hansi Flick and Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel.

As per Sport (via Barca Universal), the Blaugrana are highly interested in Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi. Barcelona president Joan Laporta sees the Italian's playstyle as a good fit for the Spanish club and is gathering more information about him.

Laporta is looking to find out more about De Zerbi's temperament, training methods, entourage, and man-management skills. Moreover, the Italian manager has the same agents as Barca defender Ronald Araujo and recently met with the club's sporting director Deco.

While De Zerbi is still another name in a long list of candidates, Laporta likes him as one of the front runners. Barcelona are even willing to pay his €10 million release clause, with his contract expiring in 2026.

De Zerbi arrived at Brighton at the start of the 2022-23 season following spells with Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk. He led the Seagulls to UEFA Europa League qualification for the first time in their history. They are currently ninth in the Premier League standings.

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Xavi Hernandez on Frenkie de Jong's potential departure from Barcelona

Barca midfielder Frenkie de Jong has been linked with a departure in the summer, with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur interested. The Dutchman was also linked with Manchester United in the past but rejected a potential move.

With Barcelona's financial issues, De Jong's potential sale could help them gain some funds. When asked about the same, Xavi brushed aside the rumors and said their focus is currently on the remainder of the season. He said (via Barca Buzz):

"Frenkie is a very important player and he is comfortable at the club. This is not the time to talk about this. There are four months left in the season and we are not talking about departures. We are thinking about La Liga and the Champions League."

De Jong joined Barcelona from Ajax in 2019 and has become a key member of the squad. He has made 206 appearances for the Catalans and contributed 16 goals and 21 assists.