After openly declaring that they were looking for replacements, it looks like Barcelona will be sticking with Ronald Koeman for the foreseeable future after all. The president, Joan Laporta has reportedly reached an agreement with Koeman to continue his stay at the club amidst certain conditions.
The first is that the Dutchman will have to apply a 4-3-3 system on the pitch, and that the team must be more attacking going forward. These are non-negotiable demands that Laporta has placed in front of the manager. He will also have an option to extend his stay if certain objectives are met. Those are assumed to be winning silverware in some capacity, which could include the league or in Europe.
On the other hand, Koeman will also take a pay cut during his second season in charge. A certain fixed part of his salary is set to be converted into variable based on his performance. And this means that he will have the chance to build on the team that was given to him last season.
He will also have the chance to deploy Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia whilst reuniting with Gini Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay from the Netherlands national team. Considering that these players know the coach, the chemistry within the players could rise significantly with a preseason ahead of them.
Moreover, Lionel Messi is also ready to extend his contract with Barcelona for two more years now that an agreement has been reached between himself and the club.