Zubizarreta is an option to replace Begiristain

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that former Barcelona goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta could become the new sports director of FC Barcelona this summer. At least three presidential candidates would see Zubizarreta as an option to replace current sports director Txiki Begiristain.

Begiristain would have decided to leave the club at the end of June and would publicly announce that decision in April, although current Barcelona vice-president and candidates Alfons Godall and Jaume Ferrer would still be hoping to convince him to stay. Godall would want Begiristain to continue for one more year to support the change of presidents.

Presidential candidates Jaume Guixà and Agustí Benedito have already said in an interviews that they don't wish to continue with Begiristain and the same is believed to be the case with former Barcelona sports vice-president Sandro Rosell.

The latter would have planned to offer Guardiola a role as general manager but would now have to change these plans because Guardiola has said he prefers to continue as coach. Therefore basically all candidates would at this moment be looking for a new sports director.

Andoni Zubizarreta was a Barcelona player from 1986, when he arrived from Athletic Bilbao, until 1994, when he left for Valencia. With Barcelona, the 48-year old won four consecutive Spanish leagues from 1991 to 1994, two Spanish cups in 1988 and 1990, two Spanish supercups in 1991 and 1992, one Champions league 1992, one Cup winner's cup in 1989 and one European supercup in 1992.

Since his retirement as an active player, Zubizarreta, who reportedly has a close relationship with Guardiola, has been acting as radio and television pundit. From 2001 to 2004, he was the sports director of Athletic Bilbao.

Zubizarreta was also, together with - among others - Real Madrid general director Jorge Valdano, one of the founders of makeateam, a company that focuses on human resources training and consulting, of which he is currently still the vice-president.

Read more:
Txiki will leave at the end of season
Poll result: Should the sports director disappear?
Godall: "Txiki will be my sports director"