LaLiga: Barcelona to follow Messi's demands and approach Sampaoli, not Wenger, to take over from Luis Enrique

Only in the world of football could a manager failing to get the best out of a lesser side suddenly be linked with one of the biggest jobs in the game. Could you imagine that rumour lasting more than ten seconds in other jobs? You’re a glass collector at a bar, doing a horrible job after years of perfectly placing glasses into the dishwasher, sometimes better than others, but now are being linked with taking over the pub altogether. Madness, I tell you.

Twitter is a fantastic place to find information and news but it’s also a haven for ‘FAKE NEWS’ – ask Donald – and there’s a danger when so many respectable outlets run with the story anyway. The eagle-eyed amongst you will know I’ve referenced Denzel Washington’s comments about journalism and the mainstream media more than once but it appears so many have failed to heed his advice.

Arsene Wenger is most definitely not on Barcelona’s shortlist. Unlike most clubs there tends to be a pattern amongst their most recent appointments and that is having some type of connection to Barcelona, be it as a player or as a coach in the youth ranks, or being a personal choice of Lionel Messi. Pep Guardiola, the late Tito Vilanova and Luis Enrique all hold long-standing connections to the club. Gerardo Martino has been the only exception since 2008, a personal recommendation from Messi, which didn’t work out too well.

There’s no doubt Wenger is a respected coach but he’s hardly the person most top, elite clubs would throw their backing behind in terms of rediscovering their former glories. He’s outstayed his welcome at Arsenal, a club he’s seen as a legend at, so why would Barcelona be interested? There’s little substance behind the link apart from Wenger saying he’d be managing a club next season whether that’s at Arsenal or somewhere else.

Does Wenger have a great record of bringing through young players? Not really, no. It’s one of those myths that Arsenal are great at youth development. Alex Iwobi is the last one to make that breakthrough but in recent years the talent pool has dried up. Hector Bellerin I suppose can be mentioned too although he learnt the basics at Barcelona, not Arsenal. And the quality of those who have come through their younger years at Arsenal isn’t great either.

Kieran Gibbs and Theo Walcott aren’t world beaters while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain seems unable to find his ideal position, often shifted across the pitch playing in various positions from one week to the next. That worked out so well for Wayne Rooney and let’s be honest, the Ox is nowhere near the level Rooney was as a youngster.

What upside is there to Wenger joining the Catalan giants? None, it’s a dead link.

So who are Barcelona looking at – anyone from the Premier League?

Well, it doesn’t look like anyone from the Premier League is on their wish list. I’ve seen speculation linking Jurgen Klopp with a switch to Barcelona but he, too, doesn’t quite fit the profile of coach the club is looking for. There were three candidates until yesterday but now there’s just two: Jorge Sampaoli and Ernesto Valverde.

The main option is Sampaoli, make no doubt about it. He doesn’t qualify in terms of having a deep connection to Barcelona but he’s got someone pretty important fighting his corner: Lionel Messi. We saw the power the diminutive Argentine wields at the club when ‘Tata’ Martino was appointed, someone Messi has a close relationship with. Between Sampaoli and Leo there isn’t history but a huge, mutual respect and a desire to work with one another.

“I’d love to coach Messi, to see him every day. It’s always unique to see the best in the world up close. Messi’s form at the moment is incredible. It’s very difficult for a team with Leo in it, and he’s playing well, to lose.” There’s a huge pull for Sampaoli to manage Messi after he was forced to turn down the Argentina job because he’d already signed for Sevilla. The chance to work with Messi looked lost until now.

Messi’s failure to sign a new contract isn’t due to money or the length of the deal on the table but more the direction in which the club is heading. His lack of reaction when scoring a late winner against Leganes was deliberately symbolic and a sign of how things are going. The environment in the boardroom and in certain sections of the ground is upsetting, especially when Messi values what Luis Enrique has done for Barcelona. The board may have no choice but to approach the man Messi wants in order to get that new contract signed.

At Sevilla they’re increasingly worried about losing Sampaoli to Barcelona this summer. Whilst the club doesn’t want to appear weak, and less so when they’re challenging the same team for second place in LaLiga, they know should Barcelona come calling then Sampaoli will leave. There was talk about extending the coach’s contract but, once again, it’d be nothing more than an empty promise and it’d be wrong to give fans false hope considering the situation they find themselves in. A verbal agreement is in place for next season but words are wind in football.

The other option is Ernesto Valverde who has long been touted as a future Barcelona coach. He played for both sides in Catalunya and has forged a fine reputation as a manager in LaLiga. He’s taken Athletic Club to the Champions League, a Copa del Rey final and the quarter finals of the Europa League. Oh, and he won Athletic’s first trophy in 31 years when they beat Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup back in 2015.

Valverde is ambitious and wants to test himself at the highest level and he feels ready to make that step up. There’s a worry he’s taken Athletic as far as he can and they’re approaching a pivotal moment where key, ageing players need to be replaced such as Aritz Aduriz, Beñat and Raul Garcia. He loves Athletic but it’s telling he hasn’t signed a new deal and his current contract is up at the end of this season, so he’d cost Barcelona nothing. Cuco Ziganda, who has done a fantastic job with the ‘B’ team is the logical replacement for Valverde should he leave.

One man who ruled himself out of the running was Eusebio Sacristan. He’s doing a fine job at Real Sociedad and penned a new two-year deal at the club yesterday. By all reports Eusebio doesn’t feel ready to take over the reigns at his former club, despite numerous spells there in different capacities, and feels work is still to be done with La Real. It’s a wise choice as he’d only be a back up option if the first two targets fell through.

The only thing that appears certain is Luis Enrique won’t be in charge of Barcelona next season and right now all signs point to Sampaoli taking over, in part to secure Messi’s long-term future at the club.