Barcelona legend Xavi has revealed he is ready to return to the club as their next manager but only on his terms.
The former Nou Camp midfielder was offered the chance to replace Ernesto Valverde late last year but rejected the opportunity.
Barcelona instead Quique Setien who has kept the Catalan club above bitter rivals Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
But with football suspended across the world due to the coronavirus crisis, speculation over a return for Xavi, who manages Al Sadd in Qatar, has intensified once again.
And he told La Vanguardi: “I am clear that I want to return to Barcelona, I am very excited.
“Maybe years ago I could give myself some respect, but now that I have seen myself coaching I think I can bring things to the players.
“But I made it clear to them that I saw myself in a project that started from zero, and in which the decision making was mine.
“I would like to work together with people in whom I have confidence, with whom there is loyalty, and who are very valid people.
“There can’t be anyone toxic around the dressing room. I’m very much a team player; I don’t want to decide alone.
“Here [at Al Sadd], we make decisions with the staff… it is a horizontal structure, of consensus. Even though I have the last word on the matter.”
(Image: AFP)
Xavi also identified a new winger as his priority in the transfer market should he take over from Setien – and refused to rule out a return to the club for Neymar.
“I would sign wingers, like Neymar – I do not know if he would fit in a non-football sense, but football-wise I do not have doubts that he would be a spectacular transfer,” he said.
“Barcelona already have a style of play in the middle of the park… but they lack wingers like Bayern [Munich] have.
“There don’t need to be many new ones: Jadon Sancho, Serge Gnabry…”
