The 8 Conditions Xavi Put to Barcelona to Become Next Coach

Save for publicly announcing their interest, there is little Barcelona could have done to make it more clear they were keen on bringing Xavi back to the club last month.

The club legend and current Al-Sadd manager has long been thought of as a future manager of the Catalan side, and after Ernesto Valverde was relieved of his duties in January, the club's interest in appointing Xavi as his successor was a terribly kept secret.

Eventually, however, the responsibility fell on Quique Setién, with the club able to reach an agreement with the 40-year-old. But why? Where did it all go wrong?

There were as many as eight reasons as to why he rejected Barca's advances, the primary one being that he wanted to defer his arrival to the summer, according to El Larguero.

In the end the club wouldn't budge on that front and wanted him to join in January, something Xavi wasn't keen to do, with the club legend and 2010 World Cup winner seemingly looking for a clean slate to work with upon his arrival without immediately having to negotiate a winter transfer window.

The club and the manager are also said to have disagreed over the level of control which would be handed over. Xavi, it's thought, wanted the final say over virtually all sporting matters - namely transfers - while the club's hierarchy wanted him installed in a strictly coaching capacity.

Another condition imposed by the would-be head coach was the installation of former team-mate Carles Puyol in a director of football role similar to that currently held by Eric Abidal. After three days of talks in Doha, this was also rejected by Barca on the grounds that there would be no room for both Puyol and Abidal.

Xavi also reportedly requested:

'Global control' of grassroots football and the club's 'global vision'

To bring back former technical director Joan Vilá
The bring in Jordi Cruyff - son of the legendary Johan and current manager of the Ecuador national team
Changes to the medical services at the club
A coaching role for his brother Óscar Hernández

Ultimately it was Setién who landed the job on a two-and-a-half-year deal, but the club's volatile relationship with their managerial position means it's far from unlikely they will be looking for a new coach again come the summer - especially if they fail to overcome Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

In that event, it's likely Xavi's name would re-enter the picture.

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