Pros and cons of 10 managers that could take on Barcelona job

Con: His second season at Everton has been a struggle, so that still suggests a top job like this comes too early in the Spaniard’s coaching career.

Michael Laudrup
Pro: Won trophies as a player with Barca before controversially crossing the El Clasico divide and signing for Real Madrid.

Con: That ditching by the Dane may come back to haunt him and Laudrup has also cultivated something of a fly-by-night coaching career, walking away from roles, like Swansea City last year, when the going gets tough.

Marcelo Bielsa
Pro: Doing magnificent work as Marseille manager and has experience of Spanish football with Espanyol and Athletic Bilbao.

Con: Bielsa is nicknamed ‘El Loco’ for a reason; his unorthodox tactics would see the Barcelona blueprint of 4-3-3 abandoned for an even more aggressive and all-out attacking 3-3-3-1 set-up, which might not go down well with purists.

Brendan Rodgers
Pro: Liverpool manager Rodgers has said he wants to coach in Spain one day, so why not jump ship to the Nou Camp if the opportunity arises? A reunion with Luis Suarez would be on the cards.

Con: At Anfield, the Northern Irishman has been trusted with spending big money, and his scatter-gun transfer policy in a bid to replace Suarez has failed fantastically.

Carles Puyol
Pro: Ex-club captain Puyol is Barcelona through-and-through, winning everything you conceivably can in Spanish and continental club football.

Con: Having just resigned from an assistant sporting director post, defensive master Puyol looks to be seeking new pastures.

Joachim Low
Pro: A World Cup-winning manager like Low would command instant respect from the global stars on Barca’s books.

Con: Germany have struggled since lifting the trophy, which suggests his midas touch might be fading.

Pep Guardiola
Pro: The one tried and tested proven option open to Barcelona, if dominating the Bundesliga becomes boring for the current Bayern Munich manager.

Con: Guardiola’s legacy will be on the line if he makes a ‘Second Coming’, and he has nothing to prove at the Nou Camp, having delivered trophies by the bucket-load.