Barcelona Reportedly Plan Ernesto Valverde Contract Talks

Barcelona sporting director Eric Abidal will reportedly sit down with manager Ernesto Valverde to discuss a new contract. 

As reported by Catalan outlet Mundo Deportivo (h/t Goal), Valverde is in the final year of his current deal, so an extension will likely be offered in the near future.

Valverde took over the position from Luis Enrique in May 2017, with many questioning whether he was the right man for the job. The 54-year-old had done well during his second stint with Athletic Bilbao, but his trophy record was limited, with no league titles won since his spell with Olympiakos.

But in his first season at the Camp Nou, he guided Barcelona to the La Liga-Copa del Rey double, and the Catalans nearly finished the league with an unbeaten record. In the UEFA Champions League, they suffered an upset loss over two legs at the hands of AS Roma, exiting the tournament in the quarter-finals.

He recently looked ahead at the new campaign:

The Blaugrana enter the season with plenty of pressure, as main rivals Real Madrid sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus during the summer and are perceived as a weaker team this year. Their expectations were further dampened by the European Super Cup loss against Atletico Madrid.

Barcelona didn't lose any key players beyond the ones expected to leave. Andres Iniesta moved to Japan, but summer arrival Arthur has impressed so far and seems a solid replacement. Malcom has flashed potential, and Ousmane Dembele could be in line for a breakout year after struggling in his first season at the Camp Nou.

It's a smart move to start contract negotiations with Valverde early, although the board will likely want to see whether he can keep up his end of the bargain while the talks take place.

The Champions League is seen as the priority, but his long-term future likely won't become a talking point until the end of this season, and the Blaugrana could lock him up before then and see how things progress.