Barcelona target Arsenal's Mikel Arteta as manager to replace Ronald Koeman

Barcelona have added Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to their managerial shortlist while Manchester City question whether to offer Sergio Aguero a new contract. 

 

Mikel Arteta to become Barca boss?

Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta has identified Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta as a potential replacement for current Barca boss Ronald Koeman. Laporta is one of the favourites to win the presidential race and hold a second spell in charge of the Catalan club. His previous stint saw the 58-year-old hire Pep Guardiola as Barcelona manager and Laporta is looking to replicate the previous successes by bringing Arteta to the Camp Nou. The Arsenal boss has impressed Laporta due to his managerial style, philosophy and the fact that he once graduated from Barca's esteemed youth system La Masia.

***: This would be huge for Arteta. His journey at Arsenal has only just started but it would be tough to turn down the opportunity to manage Barcelona and work with Lionel Messi. It seems like Barca really want to bring back Guardiola, but his extension at Manchester City killed any hope of that. Club legend Xavi has also reportedly ruled himself out of a Camp Nou return, so Arteta is now being targeted. The 38-year-old coach is highly rated in the managerial world and worked under Guardiola for three seasons at Manchester City. He will be a great coach one day, but a move to Barcelona this summer might be too soon for him.

Aguero's Man City future in doubt

Sergio Aguero could be set to leave Manchester City this summer as his contract rapidly reaches its expiration date. The Mirror report that the club have "warned" the 32-year-old forward that "his legendary status will count for nothing" as the two parties attempt to negotiate his future at the Etihad stadium. Aguero made his first City start since October in the weekend's win against West Ham United, but has barely featured over the past year due to a combination of injury and Covid-19.

How Manchester United missed out on Haaland in 2019

Manchester United missed out on the opportunity to sign in-demand striker Erling Haaland for just £3 million back in 2019 due to confusion over different time zones. The report states that the Red Devils had organised for a club representative to have a phone call with Haaland's agent at 9am to finalise a deal worth just £3 million. However, the forward's then-club Molde assumed the call was at 9am Norwegian time, while United eventually rang at 10am GMT. By then, Molde had already agreed a deal to sell Haaland to Red Bull Salzburg. Fellow Premier League club Everton also made the same error as Manchester United and missed out on an opportunity to sign the wonderkid.

West Ham outpriced on 'top target'

West Ham United have been handed a blow in their battle to sign Blackburn Rovers striker Adam Armstrong after the Championship club slapped a £25-million price tag on their forward. Hammers boss David Moyes is searching for a striker to be back-up to makeshift forward Michail Antonio and has identified the 24-year-old as a potential signing. Armstrong's current contract is set to expire in 2022, so Moyes thought West Ham would be able to sign him for as little as £10 million. However, the Mail reveal that Blackburn are demanding more than double the fee that the London club anticipated due to a sell-on clause that means 40 per cent of the profit would be owed to the striker's former club, Newcastle United.