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Hello and welcome to Sportskeeda's daily Barcelona transfer news roundup. Here are the top transfer stories and rumours surrounding the Catalan giants today.
Barcelona contact Mauricio Pochettino for managerial position
According to RAC1, via AS, Barcelona have contacted former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino to discuss the possibility of his appointment as manager in place of out-of-favour Ernesto Valverde.
Valverde's future at the Camp Nou has once again been questioned after the Catalan giants fell to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals on Thursday. His abilities have been under the scanner since the Blaugrana met with a grand collapse in the Champions League semi-finals against Liverpool and the Copa del Rey final against Valencia last season.
The reports come shortly after Xavi Hernandez and Ronald Koeman were said to have rejected offers for the managerial role at the Camp Nou. Xavi was the first choice to replace the Spanish tactician after the local media reported that Barcelona chief executive Oscar Grau and technical secretary Eric Abidal had travelled to Doha to meet with the former midfielder and discuss the possibility of his return to Catalunya.
However, the Al Sadd boss is believed to have rejected the offer as he is more comfortable waiting until the summer or the next year to take over the reins at his old club. The 39-year-old would much rather prefer a chance to start a separate project of his own than go behind Valverde's back.
Pochettino, who was dismissed by Spurs in November last year, is now being considered as the surprise candidate to take over the Spanish champions for the remainder of the season. The Argentine tactician has been credited with transforming the north London outfit into top-four contenders in his five-year stint at the club but was replaced by Jose Mourinho after a string of discouraging results earlier in the season.
Barcelona defender Jean-Clair Todibo set to join Schalke on loan
Barcelona defender Jean-Clair Todibo is reportedly set to join Bundesliga club Schalke on loan until the end of the season.
According to Bild, the 20-year-old was seen meeting a representative from the German club at Dusseldorf airport and will have a medical at the club today.
Schalke sporting director Jochen Schneider himself has told the publication that he is optimistic that a transfer will take place soon. Whether or not the deal will include a purchase option is, however, not yet ascertained.
Catalan giants looking to sign a striker after Luis Suarez injury
According to ESPN, Barcelona are on the lookout for an attacker in the January transfer market after Luis Suarez was ruled out for at least four months due to injury.
The Catalan giants confirmed on Sunday that the Uruguay international will be sidelined until May following an operation on a continual knee injury. The forward was initially expected to miss a few weeks but the gravity of his injury means a replacement may soon be on the way to the Camp Nou.
The former Liverpool man joins Ousmane Dembele in the Blaugrana's treatment room as the Frenchman has also been ruled out of action until February owing to a hamstring problem.
Having said that, Ernesto Valverde still has the services of Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi at his disposal, with youngsters like Ansu Fati and Carles Perez also available when needed.
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