Barcelona like Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta as a potential replacement for Xavi – report

Xavi Hernandez is facing a precarious situation at Barcelona. Although the coach appears to have the backing of the president, his days at the club could be numbered if Barça continue to underperform on the domestic stage.

The Catalans’ season went from bad to worse following a humiliating 4-1 defeat to arch-rivals Real Madrid.

This has led many to contemplate potential replacement options for Xavi, even though the Spaniard looks certain to continue as the manager until the end of the season.

Laporta and Barcelona likes Mikel Arteta

One of the options Barcelona are considering is Mikel Arteta. According to Adrian Sanchez, Barcelona and president Joan Laporta prefer the Arsenal manager, as a potential replacement for Xavi.

Arteta has been at Arsenal for more than four years now. Although the process has been slow, the club have visibly improved and has been title contenders for the past couple of years.

During his period, Arteta has also garnered significant coaching experience, having overseen over 200 competitive matches.

Arteta has emerged as a potential replacement for Xavi (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)

Can Arteta replace Xavi?

While there is no doubt that Arteta has improved Arsenal significantly, taking on the Barcelona challenge could be an entirely different ballgame.

That is largely because Arteta may not have the financial backing he has had during his time at Arsenal.

On the flip side, though, Arteta is a proponent of Pep Guardiola’s positional play. But the Spaniard does offer a pinch of defensive solidity in his game, which is something Barcelona desperately require right now.

All things considered, Arteta might not be a bad option for Barcelona, especially given the fact that his contract at Arsenal will expire in the summer of 2025.