Xavi Hernandez Reportedly Lined Up to Manage Barcelona Under Joan Laporta

It is the news that all Barcelona purists would love to hear—that club legend Xavi Hernandez will one day be the coach of the football club.

Marca highlighted Kicker's claim that Xavi could be installed as the Camp Nou boss if Joan Laporta is made club president once again when he stands for re-election in 2016.

In recent times, Xavi has spoken about his desire to coach Barca. Speaking to Jamie Carragher for the Daily Mail, Xavi professed his wish when asked if he would like the job in the future, but he also reiterated his love of playing the game:

"

I’d love to, yes. I’d like to remain in football forever. It would always have to be with  Barcelona. That’s where my heart and feelings are, just like you with Liverpool. But that (management) is for the future.

Right now, I love to play football siempre, siempre (always, always). When you’re a kid playing, you enjoy having the ball, don’t you? All I ever want to do is have the ball at my feet, bossing the game. 

"

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Marca also reported that Laporta currently tops the poll for Barcelona's next president, and this could see Xavi's dream appointment become reality.

The player has been a huge influence in the club's successes in the last decade, but his time featuring on the team's shirt is coming to an end. Xavi has seen his role further reduced in the past 12 months and is now used more regularly as a substitute.

This year, he has started just four La Liga matches for the team and has come off the bench a further four times—amassing a total of 422 minutes of playing time—per WhoScored.com.

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The years are catching up with the midfielder and at 34 years old he is no longer an automatic pick. But his influence is huge at Barca and, much like Ryan Giggs at Manchester United, the club will surely endeavour to keep him involved with the first team after he retires.

Laporta is a clever politician and using Xavi's name is a fantastic way to gain the votes and confidence he needs to return to his former role.

Marca also commented that Laporta has met with super agent Jorge Mendes—the representative of Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo—but said Laporta has denied any approach for the Special One's services.

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Speaking to Spanish newspaper L'Esportiu (h/t Marca,) Laporta was clear about his vision for the future—one that would not include Mourinho:

"

My kind of coach is in the Cruyff mould. Mou is a good professional and I respect him, but I didn't talk about him with Jorge Mendes, whom I've been good friends with for many years and I discuss things with once in a while. We didn't speak about Jose.

I wouldn't repeat what I did in 2003. I want to make Barça a benchmark in world football again by innovating while building on the core ideas that made us successful last time round.

I would remain faithful to the trademark style implemented by Cruyff and look to foster home-grown talent and Barça's representative role within the country [Catalonia] and, socially speaking, to give back to society some of what it has given the club.

"

Xavi would certainly reinforce the values originally seen under former boss, Pep Guardiola, who used the Spanish international legend as his midfield playmaker.

Bleacher Report's Ryan Bailey and Guillem Balague recently discussed this point, highlighting how difficult Barca were to defeat during Guardiola's reign:

Xavi seems destined to take the helm in the near future and he will clearly be a popular appointment. However, the current talk could destabilise Luis Enrique's current tenure as coach and this will not aid matters in the coming year.

The big two clubs in La Liga are highly political and the news of Xavi's favouritism will not help the side during its current campaign. But Laporta knows how to grab the headlines and this move is a shrewd one in his own personal quest.