Barcelona are reportedly looking to win the race to appoint Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim as the replacement for Xavi.
Soon after the turn of the year, Xavi announced that he intends to step down from his position in the dugout at the end of the season.
Although the Catalan giants have since improved, it appears that there is little chance of the former midfielder reversing his decision, forcing the club's hierarchy to identify a successor.
A number of names have naturally been linked with the soon-to-be vacant role, including the likes of former Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick and ex-defender Rafael Marquez.
As it stands, it appears that any decision over an alternative to Xavi will be left up in the air, a consequence of other candidates being focused on their current business with their respective clubs.
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Furthermore, Barcelona are not the only club who are in the market for a new manager, with the likes of Liverpool and Bayern Munich also weighing up their options.
Nevertheless, according to The Independent, Barcelona have ambitions to secure the services of Amorim.
In recent weeks, it has been suggested that the Sporting boss is high on the shortlist of Liverpool, who face competition from Bayern for Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso.
Chelsea are also said to retain an interest in the Portuguese on the back of his progression at Sporting, a team that currently sit at the top of the Primeira Liga standings and possess a game in hand on their rivals.
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However, the report says that Amorim is closer to joining Barcelona than any of the other aforementioned clubs, and Barcelona have also put him top of their own shortlist.
The substantial release clause, believed to be £13.2m, could prove to be a hindrance, yet a switch to Camp Nou appears a realistic possibility.
Amorim has won 142 of his 202 matches in charge of Sporting, winning one top-flight title and two Taca da Liga trophies.
He is currently preparing Sporting to take on Atalanta BC in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie at Estadio Jose Alvalade on Wednesday evening.
Darren Plant
