After months of upheaval at Barcelona, Joan Laporta will surely be hoping that with the expected appointment of Xavi Hernandez as the new first-team coach, things will start to settle down at Camp Nou.
It’s been years since the team looked anything like the swashbucklers that took on all comers under Pep Guardiola, but with the master having theoretically having handed the baton to the pupil, Xavi is primed to lead the club into a new era of dominance if the club can get its house in order off the pitch.
They do appear to be about to make another huge mistake, however.
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According to Mundo Deportivo, Barca are on the verge of renewing Ousmane Dembele’s contract for a further three years, and hope to announce the same by the end of November.
When the Frenchman is on song, he provides a genuine threat down the right channel, with pace to far outstrip most of his opponents.
The issue is that he doesn’t do it at that very top level for long before either suffering a loss of form or being struck down by injury.
Given the club’s current financial predicament, they can well do without a bit-part player that earns top dollar because he isn’t providing value for money as a result.
Laporta might be better advised to look elsewhere, or even look to promote from within La Masia given that Xavi would surely be given a grace period upon taking the reins.