Barca president talks up Koeman's arrival, says Messi wants to stay

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said Tuesday that former player Ronald Koeman will be appointed the club’s next manager.

The Dutchman, currently the head coach of the Netherlands, has been viewed as a front-runner for the job since Barca fired Quique Setien in the wake of their humiliating 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich last week.

“If nothing goes wrong, Koeman will be Barca’s head coach next season,” Bartomeu told Barca TV. “We already know how he thinks and his philosophy.”

The 57-year-old bench boss landed in the city Tuesday and the deal is expected to be finalized in the coming days. Koeman, who starred for Barcelona between 1989 and 1995, has a clause in his Netherlands contract that allows him to leave the national team if Barcelona come calling.

Barca are expected to make widespread changes this summer; sporting director Eric Abidal was also let go Tuesday.

Bartomeu admitted that an aging, declining squad needs a serious overhaul heading into next season, but was quick to quell rumors that superstar Lionel Messi wants out amid a potential rebuild.

“Messi wants to end his career at Barca,” Bartomeu said, according to Fabrizio Romano of The Guardian. “I regularly speak to him and his father. He’s part of our project.”