Hansi Flick arrives in Barcelona to finalize coaching deal

Hansi Flick has arrived in Barcelona ahead of his appointment as the Catalan club’s new coach.

The German manager will replace Xavi Hernández, who took charge of his final game versus Sevilla on Sunday.

Flick, 59, has been out of work since he was sacked as the Germany national team manager last September, but landed in Barcelona on Tuesday with his agent, Pini Zahavi, to close the final details of his new role.

Sources have told ESPN Flick will sign a two-year deal which will be made official once the terms of Xavi’s departure are ratified.

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Barça president Joan Laporta has admired Flick for a long time. 

ESPN revealed in 2021 that he had sounded him out to replace Ronald Koeman.

However, Flick, who was coaching Bayern at the time, had already committed to taking over the Germany national team.

Negotiations resumed earlier this year when Xavi revealed in January he would step down in the summer.

Flick’s chances of landing the job appeared to end when Barça revealed in April that Xavi would fulfil his contract which ran until 2025.

Things took another twist last week, though, when Laporta decided to sack Xavi and look for a new coach.

Flick, who spent years as Joachim Low’s assistant at Germany, enjoyed great success with Bayern, including winning the treble in 2020.

He failed to replicate that with Germany, though, and was dismissed in 2023 after a run of poor results followed a group stage exit at the 2022 World Cup.

Meanwhile, defender Héctor Fort has signed a new deal with the club until 2026.

The 17-year-old has played 10 first-team matches after making his debut earlier in the season.

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