Barcelona ‘make contact with Laurent Blanc’ over possibility of replacing Luis Enrique as Nou Camp manager in summer
Frenchman played for Catalans under Sir Bobby Robson in 1996-97 and has won titles in France with Bordeaux and PSG
BARCELONA have made contact with Laurent Blanc over the possibility of becoming their new manager, according to reports in Catalonia.
The joint-La Liga leaders are in the market for a new boss with Luis Enrique set to stand down at the end of the current campaign.
As yet, there is no clear favourite to take role, but they have shown their preference is generally to hire someone who knows the philosophy of the club.
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And have revealed Barca have spoken to former defender Blanc about his interest in succeeding Enrique in the summer.
The Frenchman won three league titles in three seasons as manager of Paris Saint-Germain, while he also won the League Cup in each campaign and the French Cup twice.
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However, he was sacked following his inability to progress further than the quarter-finals in the Champions League in each year, and that has been a hallmark of his career after retiring.
His biggest managerial achievement was leading unfancied Bordeaux to the Ligue 1 and French Coupe de la Ligue titles in 2009 — ending the seven-year stronghold of Lyon — and winning the first of his two Manager of the Year awards.
In the following season, they reached the Champions League quarter-finals.
Following that, he was appointed manager of the France national team, and led them to the last-eight at Euro 2012.
As a player, Blanc was a class act.
He won a league title with Auxerre 1996 before claiming the Copa del Rey and Cup Winners’ Cup under Sir Bobby Robson at the Nou Camp.
He spent much of his career with Inter before joining Manchester United in 2001, and winning the Premier League in his second season.
Blanc also won a French Under-21 European Championship in 1988, as well as the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.