Barcelona are reported to be lining up a move for England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson as a replacement for Louis Van Gaal.
Barcelona have begun the season in stuttering fashion, impressing in Europe, but inconsistent in La Liga where they currently lie 8th, eight points behind leaders Real Sociedad.
According to reports in Spain, the club’s president Joan Gaspart is becoming increasingly impatient wiith the club’s inability to translate their Champions League form onto the domestic stage and, with Dutch coach Van Gaal, in his second spell at the Nou Camp, enjoying a fractious relationship with the Barca fans, a parting of the ways cannot be discounted.
It has been reported that Van Gaal has been given until the end of the month to improve the club’s fortunes with Eriksson believed to be heading Gaspart’s list of potential successors.
Eriksson’s position is unclear although it is known he was disappointed to lose his closest ally at the English FA when chief executive Adam Crozier resigned recently. The loss of assistant Steve McClaren as well as media criticism over tactics, are understood to have further weakened Eriksson’s resolve to stay with England.
Moreover, Eriksson is known to be increasingly frustrated with the ongoing club versus country debate which has frustrated his attempts to spend more time with his players.
The Swede is due to attend a meeting with FA chairman Geoff Thompson later today, at which Eriksson is expected to reiterate his desire to stay with England. In exchange, he will be hoping to receive a firm vote of confidence from the chairman.
