Barcelona chief Deco identifies new target to replace Xavi

Barcelona sporting director Deco has turned his attentions towards Serie A, amid the club’s ongoing lookout for a potential replacement for head coach Xavi Hernández.

It is of course common knowledge across the globe that Spanish tactician Xavi is under increasing pressure in Catalunya at present.

This comes amid a concerning stretch of form on the part of his side, culminating in a heavy defeat at the hands of arch rivals Real Madrid in the finale of the Spanish Super Cup last weekend.

Though his exit is by no means a guarantee, murmurs, in turn, have begun to spread, that Xavi could be moved on by the Barcelona brass in the not-so-distant future.

In fact, speaking to the media on Wednesday, the former midfielder himself hinted at as much, in confirming his readiness to ‘take a step back’ in the summer, should the Blaugrana’s targets not be reached:

So, in the case of Xavi departing, just who could replace the 43-year-old in Catalunya’s capital?

A whole host of tacticians have already been tipped to take up the role, from Rafa Márquez to Roberto De Zerbi and even Pep Guardiola.

As per a report from Sport, citing ESport3, though, this week, a new name has been added to Barcelona’s watchlist.

The manager in question? Thiago Motta.

Motta, for his part, is currently in the midst of a stellar campaign in Italy, which has seen the ex-midfielder garner widespread praise for his efforts in the Bologna dugout.

Blaugrana director Deco, a former teammate of Motta’s at Barca, is in turn keeping a close eye on developments surrounding the 41-year-old.

Motta’s current terms at Bologna are due to expire in the summer, with a whole host of clubs in Italy ready to swoop in the case of the one-time Italian international becoming available.

Barcelona, though, could yet hold a trump card, with Deco understood to maintain a close personal relationship with Motta, dating back to their time together in Spain.

Conor Laird | GSFN