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Barcelona drop massive hint about managerial hire

By Rucker Haringey

BILBAO, SPAIN - MARCH 05: Head coach Ernesto Valverde of Athletic Club looks on prior to the start the La Liga match between Athletic Club Bilbao and Malaga CF at San Mames Stadium on March 5, 2017 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
BILBAO, SPAIN - MARCH 05: Head coach Ernesto Valverde of Athletic Club looks on prior to the start the La Liga match between Athletic Club Bilbao and Malaga CF at San Mames Stadium on March 5, 2017 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) /
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Barcelona are ready to name Luis Enrique’s successor

The question of who will take over for Luis Enrique at Barcelona next season has been hanging over the Catalan club like a dark cloud for weeks. Fortunately, the clouds are starting to part. The club have dropped a massive hint about who they’ll hire to take over next season.

Reports from Spain claim that the club’s decision to let go of third choice goalkeeper Jordi Masip is a clear indication they want to hire Ernesto Valverde. The Athletic Bilbao manager is currently going through the season with just two keepers on his roster. That philosophy makes him unique among the club’s potential managerial targets.

It’s easy to see why Barcelona would be interested in Valverde. He’s guided Bilbao to sixth place in the La Liga table to date. That’s solidly above where the club should finish based on the resources available to their manager.

His experience in Spain’s top division is also hugely attractive to Barcelona officials. They understand they only have a few years of Lionel Messi’s prime left to enjoy. The club cannot afford to hire a manager who will require a year to adjust to the rigors of La Liga play.

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Even so, some Barcelona fans will be disappointed with hiring Valverde. He isn’t the big name that many fans dreamed of when they learned that Enrique wouldn’t return. A significant portion of fans would have expected a big name like Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri or Jurgen Klopp to jump at the chance to manage the legendary club. Interest from such big names just hasn’t materialized for a number of reasons.

Of course, club officials still have time to change their mind. They’ve already stated they will not formally name Enrique’s successor until the season has reached its conclusion. There’s still time for a big name to swoop in or for an internal candidate like Juan Carlos Unzue to successfully execute a power play to win the job.

Next: Barcelona trying to hack Real Madrid deal

For now, it’s safe to bet on Ernesto Valverde taking over one of the most stressful jobs in all of sports. He’s the new odds-on favourite to take over for Luis Enrique at Barcelona next year.

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