Barcelona's next boss: Mikel Arteta, Jurgen Klopp & the nine contenders to succeed Xavi this summer

Like Xavi, Motta has a long-standing history at Camp Nou, having initially joined the club as a 17-year-old way back in 1999. Unfortunately, the former Italy international was plagued by injuries during his eight-year stay with Barca, but he still picked up Champions League and La Liga winners' medals, and is fondly remembered by supporters.

Since retiring in 2018 after a stint at Paris Saint-Germain, Motta has carved out an even more impressive reputation as a coach, working at Genoa and Spezia before stepping up to take the top job at Bologna in September 2022. He's since transformed the team into top-four contenders in Serie A, winning admirers across Europe with his progressive, intense style of play.

It has been reported that Motta is still very close with former Barca team-mate Deco, who just so happens to be the club's current sporting director, and he didn't rule out a return to Catalonia when facing the media at the weekend. Motta might not be the most glamorous choice, but it would be fascinating to see him work with a top-quality group of players after overachieving at Bologna.

According to Sport Bild, Barcelona president Joan Laporta sees Flick as the ideal man to take over, despite the former Bayern Munich manager's ill-fated stint in charge of Germany.

Flick became the first man to ever be sacked by the national team, after winning just 12 of his 25 matches at the helm, but he inherited a squad in disarray from Joachim Low in 2021, and was always facing an uphill battle. In hindsight, the 58-year-old may now regret his initial departure from Bayern, where he delivered seven trophies in less than two years.

Laporta is "pushing" to bring in Flick because he remains one of the best in the business. His version of Bayern were a ruthless, pressing machine, and he is exactly the kind of assured, no-nonsense figure Barca need to get back on track next season.

Arteta may only have one FA Cup to show for his four-year tenure at Arsenal, but he deserves great credit for making them title contenders again, and boasts many of the same coaching qualities as his former mentor Pep Guardiola. The Spanish tactician is still under contract with the Gunners until 2025, but Diario Sport have claimed he is considering stepping down at the end of the season, depending on whether he feels the team is still progressing.

Arsenal have come out to rubbish the suggestion, but Arteta might just be tempted by a new challenge in his homeland amid reports he is on Deco's three-man shortlist to succeed Xavi. Arteta graduated from Barca's famed academy as a teenager, and La Masaia's core values remain ingrained in him.

It would be a huge shock to see Arteta turn his back on Arsenal so soon, especially given the fact he would be pretty much starting from scratch again with the current Barca squad, but a change of scenery could be on the cards if he fails to bring silverware to the Emirates Stadium again this season.

Mourinho is a free agent once again after seeing his third season curse continue at Roma, who had little choice but to part ways with the Portuguese after slipping to ninth in the Serie A table. Still, he guided the Giallorossi to their first European trophy since 1961 after creating a siege mentality at Stadio Olimpico, and most supporters loved him for it.

Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid took Mourinho into their hearts for similar reasons, and he is certainly capable of scaring Barca's band of underperforming stars back into action. However, there is very little chance of Culers being behind any move for the 61-year-old, who was accused of "promoting hatred" between Los Blancos and Barca players during his time at the helm between 2010 and 2013.

The Blaugrana would surely only consider Mourinho if they had no other choice. That being said, stranger things have happened.

De Zerbi is destined for a role at an elite European club, having worked wonders at Sassuolo before turning Brighton into a top-six Premier League side. The Seagulls are now one of the most entertaining teams to watch on the continent, with De Zerbi baiting the opposition into pressing his team high so they can quickly play their way through the lines and create goalscoring chances at will.

Manchester City has been mooted as a potential next destination for De Zerbi, who seems like the perfect heir to Guardiola, but his qualities would be even better suited to Barcelona. The 44-year-old is actually the bookies' favourite to take the reins at Camp Nou right now, which shows how highly regarded he is.

It would be a slight risk for Barca to go down the De Zerbi route given his lack of experience at the very highest level, but he has to cut his teeth at the top at some point, and supporters would quickly warm to his all-action style.

Barcelona could even look just 53 miles northwest to Girona, where Madrid native Michel is performing miracles under the City Football Group (CFG) umbrella. The Blaugrana fell victim to the full scope of Girona's firepower on December 10 as they were beaten 4-2 in their own backyard, and the minnows have a real shot of going on to win the title.

Michel plays a focus on attacking from wide areas and finding far-post runners - a formula that has helped Girona overwhelm most the other teams in Spain. Barca would welcome a brand of football like that right now, but his ties to CFG may prevent a deal from being done.

The resources are there for Girona to keep progressing and make a mark in the Champions League next season, which could put Michel in pole position for Guardiola's job at the Etihad Stadium when he eventually moves on. On the flip side, joining Barca could easily derail Michel's promising career given the current lack of stability at the club.

“Moving abroad would appeal to me again. Spain has an extraordinary league. From my perspective, and based on my experience working with Spaniards, they are characterised by a tremendous amount of self-confidence. When you speak with Spanish players, I quickly get the sense that you are engaging with the person.”

Tuchel dropped a bombshell during Bayern's visit to their 'Red Stars' fan club, with his comments subsequently branded a "disgrace" by former Die Roten midfielder Dietmar Hamann on Sky Germany. Bayern's decision to sack Julian Nagelsmann and appoint Tuchel at the back end of last season has backfired spectacularly, with the team now in real danger of losing their Bundesliga crown to Bayer Leverkusen, and Tuchel appears ready to jump ship.

However, if Barca were to answer Tuchel's 'come and get me' plea, it could be a masterstroke; the German proved his tactical genius during previous spells at Chelsea, PSG and Borussia Dortmund, and he remains capable of having a transformative effect at any club. Bayern hasn't been the right match, but his affinity with Spanish players would hold him in good stead to succeed in Catalonia.

Barca could yet take the simplest option and promote Marquez, who has been coaching the club's B team since July 2022. The Mexican hasn't made the same impact Guardiola did before he moved into the first-team role back in 2008, but he'd be a safe pair of hands, and could even step in if Xavi is axed before the end of the campaign.

Marquez has a good relationship with Deco, and is one of the most decorated former players in the club's history, having won four La Liga titles and two Champions League among a host of other major honours. The 44-year-old simply replied "Who wouldn't?" when asked if he'd be happy to replace Xavi, and an easy transition might benefit the squad.

The only problem is, fans seem to be against Marquez rising any further, and Laporta probably won't want to risk a backlash given how turbulent the 2023-24 campaign has been already.

Last but by no means least is Liverpool's German general Klopp, who shocked the world by announcing his intention to leave Anfield last Friday. The 56-year-old admitted to being "tired" after nine years on Merseyside before insisting he will take an extended break from management when cutting ties with the Reds officially in the summer.

But that won't stop Barca from trying their luck. According to The Daily Mail, Laporta has always been an admirer of Klopp, and would view him as a 'dream' appointment.

Klopp's stock will be higher than ever if he signs off at Liverpool with a second Premier League title, and it would be a serious power move if Barca were able to lure him to Spain. The 56-year-old brings infectious energy and astute man management to every role, but also commands a high wage packet - which may be the only obstacle to linking up with the cash-strapped Catalans.