Brendan Rodgers remains on Barcelona radar as club consider Ronald Koeman future

Brendan Rodgers remains on Barcelona’s radar as members of the club’s hierarchy look at options away from Ronald Koeman, 90min understands.

Koeman was given the dreaded 'vote of confidence' by the club's hierarchy last week after their indifferent start to the season, and they hoped for nine points from their games with Granada, Cadiz and Levante.

But the nine point target is already off the table after being held by Granada on Monday night.

President Joan Laporta had considered removing Koeman in the summer, and now he and the club's directors are thinking about making changes after just two wins from the opening four games.

A host of names including former star Xavi - currently managing in Qatar - are already being linked with Barca. Out of work names such as Andrea Pirlo, Joachim Low and Antonio Conte are all being mentioned, as is Rodgers.

We revealed in February that the Leicester City manager was a name being talked about within the corridors of power at the Camp Nou.

The Spanish giants have never been shy at looking at the British market and have previously had eight managers heralding from the British Isles, and they would have few qualms about looking at Rodgers.

Since taking over at Leicester in February 2019, Rodgers has transformed the Foxes into perennial top four contenders.

Rodgers was looked at very closely by Manchester City as a potential replacement for Pep Guardiola before he signed a new contract with the Premier League leaders in November 2020. He was also targeted by Tottenham this summer, but opted against a move to north London – where rivals Arsenal have also been linked.

48-year-old Rodgers spent time travelling around Spain and studying coaching at the start of his career and landed a job as head of Chelsea’s youth academy after being recommended to Jose Mourinho in 2004.

The Northern Irishman has an established track record of developing players and that is sure to be something that appeals to Barca and although he has never won the Premier League, he took Liverpool to within a whisker of the Premier League title in 2013/14.

And his spell at Celtic means he does have silverware on his CV, and with both his time at Parkhead and Anfield, he has experience of coping with a fervent fanbase.

One issue for Rodgers could be Leicester’s indifferent start to the new season, but he is still seen as one of the best young managers in world football.