4 potential replacements for Ernesto Valverde as Barcelona manager

#3 Mikel Arteta

Arteta is another name on this list who has some history with Barcelona, having been a part of the famed La Masia academy for five years between 1997 and 2002.

However, he was unable to break into the first team and departed Spain, going on to represent a host of clubs including PSG, Rangers and Real Sociedad before making a name for himself in the Premier League first with Everton and then Arsenal.

The 37-year-old who regularly ranks among the greatest players never to receive an international cap announced his retirement from football in 2016 and was promptly snapped up by Pep Guardiola to form part of his backroom staff at the commencement of his Manchester City project and together they have gone on to achieve near invincibility in England.

Guardiola achieved legendary status at Barcelona from his playing days and even moreso as a coach and till date he remains the most successful manager in the club's history, with fans still holding him in high esteem.

The fact that Arteta represented Barcelona at youth level means that he would be no stranger to the club's ways, while his spell as assistant to one of the greatest managers in history would have given him a few pointers in the art of management.

However, a detracting factor would be his relatively young age and lack of managerial experience, but it is pertinent to note that Pep Guardiola himself was given the Barcelona job in similar circumstances in 2008 and see how he turned out.